The story ‘Family mediation pilot achieves mixed results’ (news, 7 January) suggested that court-based mediation in the pilot scheme had disappointing results.

Given the context in which these mediations occurred, the opposite is true, and the pilot actually looks like a remarkable success story.

The pilot involved cases that were so difficult they had already reached court and an overall mediation success rate of 79% (28% settled, 24% narrowed dispute, 27% further mediation) is extremely good.

While court may not be the best environment for mediation, these results demonstrate that court-based referrals can and do work.

It is good to see that mediation saved the legal aid fund £10m last year. Mediation also delivers less delay, less damage to family relationships, more empowered outcomes, and therefore even greater savings for the human cost of family separation.

Emma Harte, ADR committee, Resolution – first for family law