Family Conciliation

Support for families in transition

Family Conciliation provides a range of conflict resolution services to families going through separation or divorce. Our staff is made up of skilled counsellors and our services are offered at no cost. Services are provided in two ways: at the request of the court, or directly to family members.

The Family Division of the Court of Queen's Bench has developed a close working relationship with Family Conciliation. The Judge may refer family members to one of the services of Family Conciliation or may request from Family Conciliation an assessment or information to help make a decision about the ongoing care of the children.

How can Family Conciliation help my family?

You may be referred to Family Conciliation by the court, by your lawyer, legal aid, a social service agency or you may decide to come on your own. Because the family is the focal point of everyday living, when a separation or divorce occurs, family members experience a variety of very strong emotions: anger, despair, hostility and sadness. We can help. Depending on your needs, we offer a number of services to individuals, couples or families.

What are the services offered by Family Conciliation?

1. Parent Information Program. For the Sake of the Children is a supportive information program offered to parents to help them understand what they are going through, both legally and emotionally and to learn more about the needs of children upon separation. It is a six-hour program divided into two seminars of three hours each, with two program options depending on the whether there are lower or higher levels of conflict between parents. Both parents are encouraged to attend and will be registered for separate sessions. The program is open to other interested individuals. To register, call the Family Conciliation office nearest you.
2. Mediation. This service is an alternative to traditional court action for parents who are willing to meet and work together with an impartial, trained mediator to make decisions about the ongoing needs of their children after separation. Parents may also choose to mediate all of the issues arising from their separation including child support, spousal support and the division of marital property (called Comprehensive Co-Mediation, this service is offered through the Winnipeg office). Mediation is a voluntary process. You may refer yourselves, be referred by your lawyer, a judge or a social service agency.
3. Information and Referral. When parents are going through a separation or divorce, uncertainty and confusion are common. It is difficult to know what services are available and where you can find them. This service assesses a person's needs and assists the person to determine whether the appropriate service can be best provided by Family Conciliation, lawyers or the court, or through agencies in the community.
4. Conciliation Counselling. This short-term counselling is provided to individuals, couples or families in the process of separation or divorce. It is not reconciliation counselling. If reconciliation is possible, the couple will be referred to another agency. For more information on post-separation counselling, view our fact sheet on Parenting After Separation.
5. Support and Education Program for Children. Caught in the Middle is a group for children ages 8 to 13 whose parents are in conflict over separation and divorce issues. Group size is four to six children. Two sessions are offered during the year, fall and early winter, usually Tuesday evenings for seven weeks from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. If you feel your child would benefit, contact the nearest Family Conciliation office.
6. Brief Consultation Service. This service provides a brief consultation to parents and the court to help address the wishes or concerns of older children ages 11 to 16. Once the court has referred a family, a counsellor will meet with and assess the parents' and the children's concerns within ten working days. A report will be available to the court within 20 to 25 working days.
7. Court Ordered Assessment. When parents are unable to agree upon decisions about their children, the court may direct Family Conciliation to conduct an assessment of the family situation to help determine what is in the best interests of the children. A counsellor will interview and observe the parents, the children, and other involved parties and based on that information, prepare a report for the court to consider. Families may be referred for a shorter, focused assessment or a full, more traditional evaluation.

What are the benefits of Mediation?

• Co-operative negotiation ensures that neither parent feels that they have lost.
• The children feel more secure knowing that they will not lose their parents when they see them willing to work together to resolve family problems.
• Parents are in the best position to decide what their children need from them.
• The mediation process helps people develop some trust again in each other as parents and allows for future negotiation on issues that will arise.
• It is easier to work with a plan that you have formulated, than one that is imposed by the court.
• Mediation can help you avoid a long and costly court battle.

Mediation usually takes between eight and twelve hours, broken into an average of five to six sessions.

The lawyer is not directly involved in the mediation process. However, you are encouraged to obtain independent legal advice to be clear about your rights and responsibilities regarding the matters being mediated.

What happens after mediation?

If issues are resolved, the parents may draw up a written parenting agreement. Your lawyers can assist in legalizing this agreement. If an agreement is not reached, the decision may become the responsibility of the court. The Judge may request a court ordered assessment which is carried out by a mental health professional other than the mediator and submitted to court as evidence. The worker and the mediator do not discuss the case, as mediation is confidential.

If your agreement does not work out for you or you want to make changes, you are encouraged to return to mediation.

How do I know if mediation is for me?

• Can I set aside my anger for the well-being of my children?
• Am I willing to listen to the other side of the story?
• Am I willing to negotiate for the sake of the children?
• Am I willing to trust the other parent enough to uphold a mutually satisfactory agreement?
• Do I see this process in terms of compromise rather than winning or losing?
• If you have answered yes to most of these questions, you are good candidate for mediation. Again, it is essential that both parents are willing to participate in the mediation process, setting aside hostilities for the good of the family.

Contact information

Family Conciliation is available throughout Manitoba. There are offices in Winnipeg, Brandon, Dauphin, Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon.

For more information, call or write:

Family Conciliation
2nd Floor - 379 Broadway
Winnipeg MB R3C 0T9
Telephone:(204) 945-7236
or toll-free: 1-800-282-8069
Email: cfsd@gov.mb.ca

Brandon
(204) 726-6336
or toll-free 1-800-230-1885

Dauphin
(204) 622-2318

Thompson
(204) 677-6570

The Pas
(204) 627-8221

Flin Flon
(204) 687-1730