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Who are we and how do we operate?
The Mediation Specialists acts as a chambers and forum for independent mediators committed to the highest standards of professionalism in the provision of mediation and ongoing professional training and development. The Mediation Specialists is registered as a mediation organization with the Civil Mediation Council of England and Wales. As such it is not a mediation provider of services, but a promoter of the individual members of The Mediation Specialists chambers.
Each member of The Mediation Specialists is an independent mediator with his or her own individual mediation practice and shares a commitment to providing high quality mediation. This is achieved by active engagement in collaboration, co-mediation and training with the other members of the team with the aim of continuing to augment mediation professional standards both as individuals in practice, but also in respect of the mediation profession as a whole.
We are committed to work with you to provide you with the best possible mediation experience.
Regulation
Members of The Mediation Specialists are regulated by a professional mediation body in accordance with the information that appears on their individual profile and according to the requirements of their country of practice.
Terms and Fees
Your mediator will send you full details of their terms and conditions and fees when you make contact with them.
Insurance
Every mediator is independently insured.
Equality & Diversity Policy
- The Mediation Specialists are committed to promoting equality and diversity in respect of our dealings with all members of our organization (whether employed or self-employed), clients, third parties and in all areas of life where we are able to have influence.
- We will treat everyone with equal respect, attention and courtesy and will not seek to discriminate in any unlawful way against any person on the grounds of:- their race, or racial group (including colour, nationality, or ethnic origin) gender (including marital status, civil partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity or paternity), sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, age, disability or illness.
- We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that any member of the organization and clients, who may be disabled, are not placed at a significant disadvantage in relation to others who are not disabled.
- We will comply with any statutory obligation which may arise in relation to our clients in respect of anti-discrimination legislation but will remain free to decide whether to accept instructions from a particular client, although each refusal to act will not be based on any grounds referred to at paragraph 2 above.
- We will comply with current and any future changes in statute concerning anti-discrimination and any relevant codes of practice of professional mediation bodies in relation to anti-discrimination and regularly review, monitor, update and amend our policies in light of any statutory changes.
- This policy will be included on our website and every employee and self-employed person engaged by the organization will be advised of its presence on the website.
- The Mediation Specialists will take action, where appropriate, in relation to any complaint of a breach of this policy made by employees, self-employed persons engaged by the organization, clients or third parties. All complaints will be investigated in accordance with our complaints procedure which is also published on our website.
Data Protection
The Mediation Specialists takes the data privacy of individuals very seriously. For information on how we treat personal data, please see our Privacy Notice
Our Data Protection Notice is in accordance with the requirements of the Information Commissioner’s Office of England and Wales for data managed by The Mediation Specialists within England and Wales.
The free flow of personal data between us and our clients is essential for our provision of mediation and related services to our clients, as well as our ongoing client relationships. As a result, we have put in place appropriate arrangements that allow for the free flow of personal data between us and our clients. Please see our International Data Transfer pages below for more information and to view these arrangements.
EEA Clients Data Transfers to TMS
UK Client to TMS Entities International Data Transfer Arrangement
Both our privacy notice and this area of our website are subject to change, as required to comply with any legislative and /or rule changes which may occur. Therefore, please check this area of our website regularly for details of our current international data transfer arrangements that apply to, or impact upon, your relationship with us as a valued client of The Mediation Specialists.
If you have any queries about the international data transfer arrangements we have in place to help ensure your and our continued compliance with the international data transfer rules that apply to our relationship with you as a mediation, training or consultancy client of ours or in our capacity as an introducer of you to other mediators, please contact us
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Complaints Procedure
Complaints procedure for independent mediators
Details of each mediator’s complaints procedure can be found on their individual Mediation Procedure document and/or Agreement to Mediate provided prior to mediation commencing. Their complaints process is managed by their regulating body.
The Mediation Specialists- complaints procedure
This complaints procedure is applicable to any mediators directly employed by Mediation Specialists Ltd trading as “The Mediation Specialists”. Therefore, it applies to the Director of The Mediation Specialists, Sheila Gooderham, in respect of the provision of mediation, training or consultancy services by her and is compliant with her regulator’s requirements.
Initially it is requested that any concerns should, where appropriate, be initially raised with the mediator orally or in writing on an informal basis so that any issues can be swiftly addressed.
However, if an informal approach does not resolve concerns or the complainant does not consider the concerns can be suitably addressed by an informal approach, then the following formal complaints procedure applies:
- A formal letter of complaint (or email) is to be sent to the mediator containing the following;
- Name, address and contact details of the complainant.
- The name of the mediator.
- A clear description of the concerns/complaint.
- Details of any suggestions or ideas as to how the matter could be resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant (if applicable).
- Copies of any relevant correspondence or documents related to the complaint.
- The mediator will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing within 5 working days of the date the complaint is received.
- The mediator will provide a substantive reply to the complaint in writing within 21 working days of the date the complaint is received.
- If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the mediator’s investigation of the complaint and the mediator’s recommendations as to how the complaint can be resolved then the complainant will be referred to the mediator’s registered professional body.
The mediator is registered with, and regulated by, the Civil Mediation Council whose complaints procedure can be found here: https://civilmediation.org/complaints/
Equality & Diversity Complaints Procedure
Initially it is requested that any concerns should, where appropriate, be initially raised with the mediator orally or in writing on an informal basis so that any issues can be swiftly addressed.
However, if an informal approach does not resolve concerns or the complainant does not consider the concerns can be suitably addressed by an informal approach, then the following formal complaints procedure applies:
- Please Contact Sheila Gooderham, Director of The Mediation Specialists, who will provide you with an email address in order to send her a formal letter of complaint which should contain the following;
- Name, address and contact details of the complainant.
- The name of the mediator.
- A clear description of the concerns/complaint.
- Details of any suggestions or ideas as to how the matter could be resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant (if applicable).
- Copies of any relevant correspondence or documents related to the complaint.
- Sheila Gooderham will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing within 5 working days of the date the complaint is received.
- Sheila Gooderham will provide a substantive reply to the complaint in writing within 21 working days of the date the complaint is received.
- If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of Sheila Gooderham’s investigation of the complaint and her recommendations as to how the complaint can be resolved then the complainant will be referred to the mediator’s registered professional body where applicable.
