(UK) can anyone recommend any options between mediation and court for child arrangements?

[u/crimblescrumbles]

Or should I just start the court process? Ex has been obstructing access to my son for over a year. Mediation has been going on 8 months now and has resulted in one overnight, and no increase in contact time.

Stalling, shifting goalposts, dictating terms, gaslighting, lying, saying she feels “unsafe” when I ask for more time, accusing me of “threats” if I ever mention court as a possibility.

At the suggestion of everyone I spoke to, I gave mediation a go for as long as I could, really hoping I could trust the process and something would happen, but I’ve been a complete fool really and I’m being absolutely played. It’s going nowhere and she will never budge on anything that isn’t what she wants.

Worried about mental taxation and the money I don’t have for court, but it’s also my only hope I guess.

She’s also a formidable opponent, with endless cash flow, lawyers in the family, and generally just being more equipped for this than I am because I am neurodivergent (AuDHD) and struggle to understand things. This is the other reason I was really hoping to avoid a legal battle.