COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of life in the United States, including jobs, economic security, personal relationships, and family relationships. This has resulted in several unprecedented issues involving domestic relations. Fortunately, mediation can help resolve these issues in an efficient and mutually respectful way. Here are some of the areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 situation and how mediation can help.

Child Custody

Previously amicable family relations have been affected by COVID-19 when scared parents felt that the other parent was not taking the situation seriously or posed a health risk to the child. Many parents are worried about a child contracting the virus in one home and then infecting people in the other home. This has caused some parents to consider changing their custody arrangements.
Even though the COVID-19 situation is scary, it is only a temporary situation, albeit a prolonged situation. Children thrive with predictability and stability. A family mediator can talk about how the parents can make a safe environment for their child and how to keep the child’s interests as the focus. This may result in the parents agreeing to keep the same plan in place during the crisis or making some temporary changes to account for the evolving situation.

Visitation and Parenting Time

Some custodial parents have withheld visitation due to shelter-in-place orders or fear. A family mediator can discuss ways that parents can feel safer during this time, such as maintaining consistent hygiene standards. He or she can also discuss ways that parents can exercise visitation if they are not physically able to visit.

Child and Spousal Support

With millions of people laid off during the coronavirus outbreak, many parents have suffered financially and may be struggling with the ability to pay child support or spousal support. A mediator can help the parties come up with a temporary solution to adjust to the changing situation.