Join us for drinks & networking at 39 Essex Chambers!
The CMC is hosting a free networking event for all conference attendees on the evening of 15 November. While the in-person event in London provides a unique opportunity for those eager to connect face-to-face, we want to ensure that everyone has a chance to engage with the conference in a way that suits them best. This is why the entire conference sessions will be held online and accessible for viewing after the event.
Conference Speakers
Audrey Dorival
Audrey Dorival is a CEDR and SEND accredited mediator. With over twenty years’ experience, she is a leader in the development of Special Educational Needs and Disability Mediation (SEND) in England. Audrey managed the award-winning KIDS SEND Mediation Service for twenty years until 2023, overseeing several hundred mediations per year. With a diverse background encompassing law, training and mediation, Audrey brings a unique and powerful skillset to her work. Her deep understanding of the dynamics and sensitivities involved in SEND disputes is complimented by her pragmatic approach, developed when she was a litigator with global law firm Eversheds Sutherland.
Mia Forbes Pirie
Mia Forbes Pirie helps people to have the difficult conversations that divide us. A commercial and workplace mediator, she also volunteers as a community mediator. Since leaving her career as a City solicitor in 2007, Mia has mediated and facilitated for clients including the Church of England, the Government of Mongolia, G7 France, the European Commission, NGOs and large corporations. The subjects she has dealt with include space, chemicals, oil and gas, sustainability, refugees, gay marriage, religion, competition law and property law. She sits on the board of the Civil Mediation Council and was UK Independent Mediator of the Year 2021 (Corporate International).
Helen Harnett
Helen Harnett brings her extensive experience as a manager, facilitator and educator to her work as a mediator. She served on the Council of the Mediators’ Institute from 2009 to 2013 as MII Workplace and Organisational Liaison and as Chair of the Elder Mediation International Network (EMIN) from 2013 to 2019. Helen holds an international accreditation in Elder Mediation and is a Director of Later Life Mediation. She lectured on Advanced Family Mediation on the Master’s in Conflict Resolution programme in Maynooth university (2016-2019).
Brian O’Neill
Brian O’Neill specialises in elder and family mediation, working with families to help resolve issues ranging from families dealing with issues that have arisen between various family members and families dealing with issues of ageing. He gained certification as an elder mediator in 2012 with the Elder Mediation International Network. He is an Advanced Mediator of the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland. Brian is a Director of Later Life Mediation and Chair of the Elder Mediation International Network (2019 -).
Colin Bourne
After a successful career at the Bar Colin gave up his practice in March 2023 to devote all his time to mediation. As well as commercial mediation, Colin works with Yorkshire Mediation Services offering community mediation and he delivers mediation skills training to officers and prisoners in a number of prisons as part of their violence reduction strategies.
Henrietta Jackson-Stops
Henrietta Jackson-Stops is a Partner at IPOS Mediation and mediates a wide range of civil and commercial disputes alongside her role in running and managing IPOS. Henrietta has a particular interest in disputes involving family businesses, trusts and relationships and those with a public law element. Henrietta’s career began as a litigator at Allen & Overy, advising clients in both litigation and international arbitration. She subsequently gained an LLM in Public International Law before continuing her career at the Government Legal Department. She became a full-time mediator in 2016. IPOS is a registered mediation provider director of the CMC.
Roger Levitt
Roger is ranked as a Leading Mediator by Legal 500 2020, having conducted over 130 commercial and property mediations, both online and face to face. He is a Fellow of the CMC, and a member of its Board and Registration & Standards Committee. He is on the CIArb Panel of Senior Commercial and Civil Mediators and is a member of The IMI RICS/PLA Panel of Boundary Dispute Mediators. Roger provides mentoring services to newly qualified mediators Property Solicitors. He qualified in 1984 and is a solicitor since 2018, non-Practising. He has extensive experience in all types of commercial and residential work.
Victoria Harris
Victoria Harris is the author of Transforming Community Conflict and The Cost of Community Conflict. A solicitor for 15 years, Victoria moved to the voluntary sector to support mediation in the community and became CEO for Mediation Hertfordshire, during which time she innovated a contract for mediation to be socially prescribed from NHS primary care. A member of the 2022 judging panel for the National Mediation Awards, Victoria is now a Trustee at Mediation Herts and is also Programme Manager for the CMC, where she runs its academic forum and working groups for both peer mediation and community mediation.
Rebecca Clark
Appointed as the Chair of the Civil Mediation Council, Rebecca is passionate about the process and benefits of mediation, regularly speaking at conferences and giving training with a particular focus on the psychology of mediation and negotiation. Described as “superb”, “outstanding” and “a credit to her profession”, Rebecca is an accomplished and highly effective mediator and has worked as a full mediator with IPOS since 2016.
Dominic Collis
Dominic is the managing director of Collis Mediation Ltd. Dominic comes to mediation from a commercial background, having spent much of his 30yr career at the most senior level in industry. As a mediator, Dominic is often instructed in complex, multi-dimensional, high-value commercial disputes and SEND. Dominic has a very direct and solution-focussed approach to mediation which is built on his proven experience having chaired in excess of 3,500 mediations to date, placing him as one of the most experienced mediators in the country. Dominic is on the Board of Director’s of the CMC and a CMC Accredited SEND Mediator.
Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho
Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho is a barrister and a CEDR- accredited mediator at 39 Essex Chambers. She is also a member of CEDR’s Faculty, where she coaches and assesses. She practices in commercial dispute resolution, tax disputes and EU law. She has particular experience of commercial disputes with international aspects (including investor state arbitration), and disputes between government and commercial parties. She is also called to the Bar of Ireland.
Nicolas Fournier
Nicolas is Deputy Chair of the CMC and has thirty years of people and business management experience in international and multi-cultural contexts. He has recently concluded the first part of his career as MD/CEO of large corporate companies in order to pursue his passion for mediation. In the UK, Nicolas is a CEDR accredited mediator, a CMC registered mediator and a member of CEDR UK Mediator panel. He is an associate mediator in Thomas More Chambers in London. Nicolas has dual French and British citizenship. In France, Nicolas has the ESCP Europe / CMAP certification as a ‘médiateur’, is a member of CMAP panel and is a member of the ANM.
Andy Rogers
Andy Rogers is a Trustee and Board Director of the CMC and part of the Executive Team at CEDR, working with clients and members, monitoring standards and liaising with industry, government and the media on behalf of the organisation. He is also a practicing mediator, with clients ranging from private individuals through to multinational organisations. Andy has consulted on numerous ADR projects in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Prior to joining CEDR, he was a Senior Communications Account Director in two public relations consultancies.
Paul Adams
Paul has been the CMC’s CEO since 2018 and has overseen the development and professionalisation of the organisation during his tenure. A strong advocate for sector unity and strategic direction, he argues passionately for the need for mediation to speak with one voice, in order to get its message heard. In recent years, he has sought to widen the remit of the CMC to encompass all specialisms of mediation outside of the family context.
Chris Straker
Chris Straker was a teacher for 30 years while co-founding the Hull Centre for Restorative Practice. He drew on his experience to develop training in restorative approaches to leadership within schools, and across agencies in children’s services. He has been a keynote speaker across the world on school, restorative cities, and restorative institutions. Since 2021 he is working on supporting young people on the edge of exclusion and county lines involvement. Chris is also a member of the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) working groups on restorative schools and restorative cities.
John Anderson
John Anderson MBE was brought up in Northern Ireland and after graduating from Trinity College of Music London, qualified as a teacher at London University Institute of Education. After some 15 years teaching, he returned to study, graduating in Law from Edinburgh University in 1992. John retired as Head of Fitness to Teach with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and has served as lay panellist with several regulatory bodies, including the RCVS, CIPFA, CIMA and RICS. Currently a member of the disciplinary committee of the Scottish Bar, he is also the overall Chair of the Disciplinary Committee of the Farriers Registration Council, a member of the Discipline Board of ICAS and the Investigating Committee of the General Medical Council.
Mel Bruce
Mel has been mediating since 1997 and has held the role of Peer Mediation Service manager since 2000. The service has won many awards nationally and internationally. Mel thinks it is important for all young people to have access to the process of mediation, whether the mediator or the service user. Creating resolution and understanding, allowing those involved to move forward and harness the necessary skills to resolve conflicts amicably in the future.
Dave Walker
Mediating since 1986 David has over 36 years mediation experience. He was recognised for his outstanding contribution to mediation by being awarded an MBE in 2007. David mediates in a wide range of situations ranging from high level anti-social behaviour, work with residents’ groups, local authorities, contractors, workplace relationships, company mergers, divorce and separation, commercial, hate crime, radicalisation, as well as working on gang related conflict. In October 2022 David was invited to address an International Mediation conference in Angers France about the importance of training young people in schools to be mediators.
Peter Marsden
Peter is Chief Executive of peacebuilding charity, Concordis International, and is a mediator and a former child protection solicitor. Concordis works in Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Sudan and South Sudan, helping women and men affected by armed conflict to find workable solutions to root causes of their grievances. Peter’s passion is to bring people together who would not normally meet, helping them to transform destructive conflict into a future-focused collaboration, to their mutual benefit.
Jenny Owens
As a mediator conflict resolution coach and educator Jenny believes in the power of authentic communication to transform lives. She is currently working within the NHS to help staff members and teams navigate conflict and build communication skills, creating opportunities for effective team-working, stronger relationships and greater resilience and understanding. With over 10 years professional mediation and Non-Violent Communication experience, and a background in sixth form education and restorative work in schools, Jenny is familiar with supporting people to navigate conflict and tension. If anything she is excited by the opportunities it can create for greater understanding and richer relationships.
Sarah O’Connor
Sarah has been volunteering as a Community Mediator with Calm Mediation in London for 4 ½ years. She was the recipient of the award for Community Mediator of the Year at the National Mediation Awards in 2022. Sarah also works for the NHS and a 3rd sector organisation as a Community Mental Health Worker.
Dionne Dury
Dionne is an accredited workplace mediator with a background in employment law. She has over 11 years’ experience working as an employment lawyer advising businesses and employees on a wide range of workplace disputes. In 2016, she became Director of South-West based business, Resolution at Work. She is now Module Leader for Employment Law at the University of East Anglia and the Law School’s Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Dionne is an active Committee member of the Civil Mediation Council’s Workplace and Employment Committee and recently taken up post as chair of the group.
Alison Love
Alison set up her own mediation services business in 2011, following 30 years practical experience as an HR practitioner, employment lawyer and business leader. Resolution at Work works with national clients across the public and private sectors bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to positively support those who wish to reduce the damaging impact and cost of conflict. Alison has considerable expertise and experience in providing workplace mediation services, conflict skills/leadership training and development, conflict coaching, team conflict/team development and support for organisations. Alison is a fellow of the CIPD and winner of the Wales Award 2019 for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of People Development in Wales and Finalist in People Management Awards.
Alex Chalk
Alex Chalk KC MP was appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on 21 April 2023. He was Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence from October 2022 to April 2023 and was formerly HM Solicitor General for England and Wales and the Prisons and Probation Minister. Alex Chalk KC MP has been the Member of Parliament for Cheltenham since 2015. Prior to being elected in 2015, Alex was a barrister and prosecuted and defended in cases concerning terrorism, international fraud, and homicide.
Tom Bedford
Tom specialises in defending solicitors from claims and in the context of regulatory proceedings brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). He has over 10 years’ experience advising clients across a range of sectors but he predominantly acts for solicitors, law firms and their Insurers. During this time Tom has completed two secondments with leading professional indemnity Insurers in the City of London. Tom also has experience in defending surveyors and property professionals from claims. In addition, Tom regularly writes and contributes to articles and podcasts on issues affecting the legal profession.
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn is a member of the CMC Commercial Working Group. She is a full-time mediator, having been a partner and solicitor in private practice. Trained as a commercial and banking litigator, Carolyn specialised in corporate and personal insolvency matters. She was a partner at Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, where she later became head of a substantial insolvency team, an equity partner, one of the firm’s operational board members and the firm’s London office managing partner. Most recently she was a partner at Dentons UKMEA LLP.
Joanna Gosling
Joanna is a Senior Associate Mediator (family and workplace) at Irwin Mitchell. Joanna is passionate about relationship dynamics, communication, and navigating conflict, which is why she changed career after 30 years as one of the most experienced and best-known rolling news presenters broadcasting in the UK, leaving her role as BBC News Chief Anchor. Joanna also has her own show on Classic fm.
Will Sefton
Will Sefton specialises in defending professionals and company directors, and advising liability insurers on policy coverage. Will and his team act for directors facing the full range of claims, including from liquidators/ administrators and investors and those involved in unfair prejudice proceedings. He advises a number of the major D&O insurers on coverage issues on both commercial and financial institution risks. Will also defends a range of professionals, in particular lawyers and brokers. In this field, Will has experience of defending claims against firms of all sizes, from international to local, from multi-million pound group litigation in the High Court to sub-£50k claims.
Clare Stothard
Clare is highly experienced in all aspects of investment and retail banking litigation, financial crime, regulatory compliance and investigations. In recent years her particular focus has been on litigation relating to the misselling of derivatives and she has taken the lead role for one particular financial institution in setting up a section 166 Review and subsequently taking numerous cases to hearings and trial in both the High Court and Supreme Court in respect of the duty of care owed by the banks. She has been involved in dozens of mediations for claimants and over 200 for defendants.
Martha Monday
Martha is Mediation Director at Global Mediation, one of the largest providers of SEND mediation in the UK. She has been a SEND mediator for over 20 years, having worked as a mediator whilst simultaneously practising as a family law barrister. In 2016 she resigned from the Bar to concentrate wholly on mediation, preferring its non-adversarial and empathic approach. As a member of Global’s senior leadership team, she has oversight of the mediator teams, and is involved in delivering training and supervision. Martha is a member of the SEND Assessment/Standards Panel and is a member of the Board of Directors of the College of Mediators.
Benjimin Burgher
Benjimin Burgher was called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn) in 1995. He was appointed a Fee-paid Employment Judge in 2005 and as a salaried Employment Judge in 2019. He was appointed as Regional Employment Judge for London East in 2023. He is chair of the ADR committee for Employment Tribunals (England and Wales) and is a Chartered Institute of Arbitrators an accredited mediator.
Robin Somerville
Robin is a mediator, workplace investigator and barrister. He is a First Tier Tribunal Judge and is authorised to sit as a Deputy District Judge in the County Court. Prior to qualifying as a lawyer and mediator, Robin set up, grew and sold three technology start ups. He has extensive experience of professional conduct having sat as a tribunal chair or member at the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service amongst other professional regulators. Robin successfully brought a case of his own which the defendant unsuccessfully appealed all the way to the Supreme Court so had first hand experience of being a party in litigation.
Rebecca Varrall
Rebecca, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with 15 years of NHS experience, specialises in working with children, families, and adults, focusing on autism spectrum conditions, learning disabilities, and ADHD. Engaged in research projects, she has worked in diverse settings, including specialist schools and Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Social Communication Disorders Clinic. Rebecca is passionate about supporting neurodiverse individuals and associated mental health concerns. As a guest lecturer and examiner at University College London, she is affiliated with the British Psychological Society, The Division of Clinical Psychology, Young Person Faculty, and is registered with the Health Professions Council.
Louise Lawrence
Louise holds a Postgraduate Diploma and a Master of Science Degree in Speech and Language Therapy from City University London. With over two decades of experience as a Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist in the NHS, she specialises in working with autistic individuals and those with complex needs. As a neurodivergent individual diagnosed with dyslexia, Louise is dedicated to breaking down barriers and promoting neurodiversity in schools, higher education, and the workplace. She employs a strengths-based coaching approach to help clients achieve their full potential. A registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council, Louise is also a co-director at Autism Unravelled, bringing strong communication skills and creative problem-solving to the team.
Nicola Cleaver
Nicola, with an 11-year background in Criminal Law and a PhD in Social Sciences, specialises in SEND Mediation & Disagreement Resolution. With expertise in managing complex Appeals at First Tier Tribunal, she delivers CMC Accredited SEND Training Courses nationwide. As a SEND Parent, Nicola uniquely understands the challenges parents face in Education processes, particularly during Appeals. A UK Registered Expert Witness in SEND, she is a member of various professional bodies, including the Civil Mediation Council and Neurodiversity in Law.
Tarun Ghosh
Tarun, a SEND practitioner since 2002, has been closely involved with SEND Mediation since the 2014 Reforms. With a background as Head of SEND & Inclusion in the public sector, he brings extensive experience in Mediations, Disagreement Resolutions, and Appeals to First-Tier Tribunal (SEND). Tarun actively contributes to delivering SEND Training courses nationwide and prioritises amplifying the voices of children and young people with additional needs. Committed to supporting families through the complexities of the SEND system, he remains updated on best practices and research in mediation and conflict resolution through regular professional development.
Charlotte Steinfeld
Charlotte, a barrister with a broad commercial-chancery practice, handles disputes in High Court and County Court across various areas, including Contract, Wills and Probate, Sale of Goods, Landlord and Tenant, Insolvency, and Mortgages. As Head of the 10KBW Mediation Group, she is a CEDR-accredited commercial mediator and mediation advocate with extensive experience in two-way and multi-party disputes, specialising in Contentious Probate, Property, Breach of Contract, Tort, Landlord & Tenant, and Company matters. Uniquely, Charlotte coaches parties in the Harvard framework, combining assertiveness with facilitation to ensure a respectful negotiation and a mutually beneficial agreement.
Susanna Diegel
Susanna is the Head of Mediation at KIDS, responsible for the co-ordination and continuous development of KIDS SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Services at a national level – working with a staff team of 12 and a mediator team of 30 plus. Susanna has been with KIDS since 2014 and is also a CEDR accredited mediator and accredited SEND Mediator. She is a member of the CMC and CoM SEND Mediation Panel and contributes to SENDIOG and the DfE Dispute Resolution Steering Group. Before joining KIDS, Susanna managed the Equalities and Human Rights Commission’s Discrimination Conciliation Service as part of her role working for a mediation services provider.
Nicky Doble
Nicky Doble is CEO of Independent Mediators and has 25 years of business management experience both national and international, almost 15 of those years in the mediation sector. Nicky currently sits on the Commercial Mediation Working Group for the CMC.
Camilla Palmer
Camilla Palmer (hon) KC is a mediator and Associate Tenant at Doughty Street Chambers’ mediation team. She is a fee-paid employment judge, mainly doing judicial mediation. Camilla was an employment lawyer for 20 years, specialising in discrimination law, before establishing, in 2014, YESS (Your Employment Settlement Service), a legal charity advising employees and employers how to resolve disputes without litigation – the strapline being ‘Life’s too short to litigate’. She is a member of the CMC Workplace Committee.
Stewart Gee
Stewart Gee is Head of Individual Dispute Resolution Services at Acas, responsible for delivery of conciliation services in over 100,000 disputes every year. Stewart’s responsibilities include ownership of Individual Mediation services and the development of digital tools for accessing and delivering Early Conciliation. Stewart has also recently managed a programme of digital development. In his career at Acas, Stewart previously headed up its Helpline and online guidance services and was the Area Director for London.
Keynote Speakers
The CMC was able to secure two fantastic keynote speakers: The Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, will be speaking on day one, while Chris Straker will be talking about restorative schools on day two.
Join Audrey Dorival and me for two afternoons of dynamic discussions and networking. From thought-provoking sessions on neuro diversity in mediation to learning from mediating in armed conflict zones, we have a diverse and impactful agenda to empower and inspire mediators like you. We look forward to seeing you there!
– MIA FORBES PIRIE, CONFERENCE CO-HOST
Conference Supporters
This year’s conference is generously supported by ADR ODR International and 39 Essex Chambers.
Conference Sessions
Learning from Mediating between armed groups, when your BATNA is a war; lessons learned from the front line – Peter Marsden
Protagonists in armed conflict might seem implacably hostile, and warfare appears an extreme example of irretrievable breakdown of relationships. Yet even in a live conflict, there are exciting opportunities to find mutually beneficial breakthroughs. And the tools used in peacebuilding can be usefully employed in complex mediation in more domestic disciplines, and vice versa.
Consigning Halsey to History? What Merthyr Tydfil Means for Mediation – Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho & Rebecca Clark
Earlier this year the CMC, CIArb and CEDR, the leading commercial mediation organisations in the UK, united to intervene in the Court of Appeal case ‘Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’. The aim was to challenge the Halsey ruling, a significant legal decision that considered the compulsion of parties to mediate as a violation of their right to a fair trial. The case was heard in front of the Court of Appeal on 8-10 November and a ruling is to be expected shortly. Rebecca Clark, Chair of the CMC, and Kelly Stricklin-Coutinho who was instructed as a barrister for the case, will discuss history being made with this case.
Neurodiversity in mediation: How can mediation be made better for parties who are neuro divergent? – Sarah O’Connor
The session takes a broad look at the varying types of neurodiversity and the mediation process. Sarah suggests ways to make practical changes and implement strategies to make the mediation process more inclusive for neurodivergent individuals.
Championing Neurodivergent Employees in Workplace Mediation – Dionne Dury, Alison Love, Rebecca Varrall and Louise Lawrence
This workshop brings together a range of experience from mediation to clinical psychology and will explore how neurodiversity may impact on workplace conflict and workplace mediation. With the use of a scenario, the session will include a discussion where mediators can share their knowledge and experience on
- How neurodiversity may present in a mediation session;
- What kind of situations may arise?;
- What a mediator might need to think about in managing mediation sessions;
- How to ensure that access to mediation and the process is itself is inclusive so that all concerned can fully engage in positively resolving conflict and better understanding differences.
Peer mediation: how to make mediation cool in schools – Dave Walker & Mel Bruce
Training young people in conflict resolution brings benefits to the educational environment as well as life skills to the young people who attend. But how do you encourage school engagement and young people to participate in these vital programmes? This session will address those crucial questions to support greater take up of peer mediation projects.
What’s next? Opportunities for Mediation
- CMC Student Competition Winner
- Implementing Mediation in the NHS – Jenny Owen
- Elder Mediation – Helen Harnett and Brian O’Neill from Later Life Mediation
- Mediation in Prison – Colin Bourne
Commercial Mediation: What Users Really Want – Carolyn Jones, Tom Bedford, Will Sefton, Clare Stothard & Nicky Doble
This panel of lawyers who mediate regularly share thoughts on what they are looking for from mediation and mediators. An invaluable insight for commercial mediators into what the clients would like.
CMC Updates – Nicolas Fournier, Paul Adams, Hetti Jackson-Stops, Victoria Harris & Dionne Dury
A great opportunity for senior members of the CMC Board & Executive, to update members on the plethora of CMC initiatives that are currently underway, across the full spectrum of mediation specialisms.
The possibilities of restorative schools: Amplifying the voices of young people and families – Chris Straker
The session will explore what a restorative school is; how it can enable students and parents to own and resolve their own conflict situations; and the importance of an entwined multi-agency response.
Dispute Resolution and ‘Non-Consensual/Mandatory ’ Mediation in the Workplace – Dionne Dury, Stewart Gee, Benjimin Burgher, Robin Somerville & Camilla Palmer
The panel will discuss recent developments in non-consensual mediation as well as what integrated mediation of civil claims means for ADR in the resolution of employment and workplace disputes, the new presidential guidance on ADR and approaches in the judiciary to dispute resolution, what we can expect to see in the future regarding mediation of employment disputes and whether there needs to be a cultural shift away from a grievance based culture to a resolution based one. The discussion will be chaired by Dionne Dury, Module Leader for Employment Law and Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the University of East Anglia, accredited workplace mediator and Chair of the CMC’s Workplace and Employment Committee.
Implementing Mediation in the NHS – Jenny Owen
An overview of the work done in one NHS Hospital Trust to raise the profile of mediation and conflict coaching and enable all staff to access high quality conflict resolution and communication support in a timely way. ‘Mediation’ has been offered in NHS settings for many years, and has a mixed reputation among staff. Addressing misconceptions, and embedding mediation into policies and processes is key to the success and reputation of mediation.
Learning from complaints – John Anderson
Outline the purpose and function of professional regulation, the role and operation of the Conduct and Discipline Committee (CDC) and seek involvement from mediator members in the CDC’s work either as Independent Investigators or as CDC panel members.
The Cost of Community Conflict – Victoria Harris & Joanna Gosling
The most important cost of conflict is the deep distress it brings. In a very real sense that cost is unquantifiable. However, in another sense the cost of conflict can be examined in terms of money spent by local and national government to respond to the damage caused by conflict. In areas such as healthcare, policing, education and housing there are bills to be paid and while conflict is not the only reason for damage to the social fabric it unquestionably plays a role. This session looks at new research which examines the impact of conflict in the UK, advancing new ways to reduce the cost of conflict, to benefit both individuals and the services that support them. Well known BBC news presenter and mediator Joanna Gosling will be interviewing community mediator Victoria Harris on her findings in this engaging session.
The Value of Mediation Skills in Prisons – Colin Bourne
Colin Bourne will speak about the work of Yorkshire Mediation delivering training in mediation skills to prison officers and prisoners as part of violence reduction strategies. This initiative, which has been running for a number of years, is continuing and being expanding to more prisons, evidencing the success of this innovative training programme.
SEND Mediation: Working Towards Effective Resolution – Host Dominic Collis, Martha Monday, Tarun Ghosh, Nicola Cleaver, Susanna Diegel
The Panel will be discussing topics linked to the Department for Educations response to the recent SEND Consultation ‘Green Paper’- ‘SEND Review: Right support, Right place, Right time’. An interactive session, where a panel member will introduce a topic, which will be briefly discussed and then will be opened up to the floor for open discussion and questions. The following topics will be discussed:
- Inconsistencies and the standardisation with the SEND framework
- Strengthening the SEND mediation process and promoting the benefits of SEND mediation
- The potential, and wide-ranging impact, of the DfE’s proposals for mandatory SEND mediation
Making Integrated Mediation Work – Roger Levitt, Andy Rogers & Charlotte Steinfeld
A practical session to consider what Integrated Mediation might look like. The session will focus on the challenges of reluctant parties in mediation and will talk through three hypothetical cases to try and generated ideas to deal with challenges.