Francois de Marigny is a clinical psychologist and family mediator in Morningside, Durban, accredited with KAFAM (KwaZulu-Natal Association of Family Mediators). He helps separating parents reach their own agreements through mediation, including parenting plans, acts as a parenting coordinator where parents need help implementing a parenting plan or court order, and offers relationship transformation coaching drawn from family-law experience in over 2000 cases.
This is not therapy, or an evaluation, but rather the sharing of information gained in the field of family law, mediation and expert testimony in over 2000 cases. This is intended to help clients explore their options when relationships change. The focus is on education and ‘damage control’. It’s about keeping families together, even when the relationships between parents change. People are guided to realise that even after the divorce, they are still in each other’s lives and that it is important to put the children first. I also have extensive experience and knowledge in dealing with parental alienation/alignment and estranged children.
The process of mediation is collaborative and aimed at empowering participants to circumvent cumbersome legal processes. The object is to keep the divorce out of litigation and to help people find their own solutions. When efforts at mediation fail, as a parenting coordinator, I have the authority to issue directives which are binding on the people involved – in the absence of a court order overriding the directive.
Parenting Plans are best facilitated through mediation with an accredited mediator. I am accredited with KAFAM (KwaZulu-Natal Association of Family Mediators).
Mediation, parenting coordination and divorce coaching are not covered by medical aids. Fees are available on request — see fees. For court-ordered assessments, see Psycho-Legal & Forensic Evaluations.
A parenting coordinator helps parents implement an existing parenting plan or court order, and resolves the day-to-day disputes that would otherwise go back to court each time. Where the parents cannot agree, the parenting coordinator can issue a directive which is binding on them, in the absence of a court order overriding it.
A written agreement between parents setting out how they will exercise their responsibilities and rights — where the children live, contact arrangements, schooling, healthcare, holidays, and how future disagreements will be handled. Parenting plans are best facilitated through mediation with an accredited mediator.
No. It is not therapy, or an evaluation, but the sharing of information gained in family law, mediation and expert testimony, to help people explore their options when relationships change. It does not replace an attorney.
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