Child-Inclusive Mediation – Lakeshore Mediation

CHILD-INCLUSIVE MEDIATION

Centering your child’s voice without placing them in the middle

When parents separate or divorce, children often experience big emotions they don’t yet have the words to express. Child-Inclusive Mediation is a research-informed approach that helps parents better understand their child’s experience so they can create parenting plans that truly support their child’s emotional, developmental, and relational needs.

This process is not about children choosing sides or making adult decisions. Instead, it ensures that their perspective is thoughtfully and professionally understood, and then carefully brought into the mediation process in a way that supports, not burdens them.

Why Include Your Child’s Voice?

Research consistently shows that children do better after separation when:

They feel heard and emotionally safe

Parents understand their needs beneath the surface behaviors

Parenting plans reflect their developmental stage and temperament

Conflict is reduced and parents communicate more effectively

Child-Inclusive Mediation helps parents move beyond assumptions and focus on what their child actually needs to thrive—both now and in the years ahead.

Is Child-Inclusive Mediation Right for Your Family?

This approach is especially helpful when:

You want to create a child-focused parenting plan

Your child is struggling with transitions or emotional changes

Parents have different perceptions of what the child needs

You want to reduce conflict and protect your child from loyalty binds

Even when parents don’t agree on everything, child-inclusive mediation often helps shift conversations from positions to purpose—what truly supports your child.

“When it comes to divorce mediation with children involved, my role is to guide families through change while preserving what matters most. Divorce doesn’t have to uproot a child’s sense of family. With thoughtful planning and respectful dialogue, families can build stable, child-centered paths forward.”

Dr. Eliezer Jones (Founder, Lead Divorce and Child-Inclusive Mediator)