Family Mediation as an Early Help Strategy
Understanding parental conflict and its impact on attendance, mental health and attainment: a short course for pastoral, safeguarding and family-facing school staff.
Course Synopsis
A 4-hour short course for anyone involved in pastoral, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding or family-facing roles.
Participants will learn the effects of parental conflict on children in the school environment and how to spot the patterns to be able to identify affected children. They will learn how to adapt strategy and practice and suggest improvements to school procedures to better support the parents and children, as well as when and how a referral to family mediation may be suitable.
Participants will be able to understand and explain the family mediation process, and how it can be a useful option for early help where families do not meet the threshold for social care involvement.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
• Recognise when parental conflict may be impacting attendance, behaviour, mental health and learning in school.
• Understand the ways in which parental conflict can affect a child in school, and how these consequences can interact and affect long-term outcomes.
• Recognise school processes and procedures which may exacerbate the problem.
• Know and apply a variety of in-school interventions which may help.
• Understand what family mediation is, and how it can help in this situation.
• Recognise and decide when it may be appropriate to suggest family mediation.
• Know how and when to tactfully suggest a referral to family mediation.
• Recognise safeguarding concerns which may indicate family mediation is not suitable.
Course Details
For: Education staff, including pastoral teams, DSLs and DDSLs, attendance and behaviour leads, inclusion teams, and SENCOs
Delivery: Online
Duration: 4 hours
Group size: 6–20
Dates: Delivered annually
Register Your Interest
This course runs annually. Contact us to register your interest or discuss a dedicated session for your school.
Family Mediation as an Early Help Strategy
Authors
Student Feedback
We had been in dispute with the council for over a year. The mediator helped both sides actually listen. We reached agreement in one session.
Parent, West Midlands
I did not think mediation would work, but the mediator was so knowledgeable about the process. We got the provision our son needed.
Parent, London
Outstanding course content and delivery. The practical examples really helped me understand complex concepts.
Client, Manchester
Course Authors
Sophie Webster
Sophie worked in the NHS from 2006, including more than a decade as a community children's physiotherapist specialising in neurology and neuromuscular conditions. That work with children, families and colleagues across education, health and social care underpins her commitment to multi-agency, inclusive practice. Since training as a mediator she has worked mainly in family and workplace mediation, and is also trained in conflict coaching and Family Group Conferencing. At Prime Resolution she leads business development and marketing for family mediation, workplace mediation, supervision and conflict coaching, and is the organisation's Designated Safeguarding Lead. She is particularly concerned that children's voices are heard in decisions that affect them. Outside Prime she is a secondary school governor with responsibility for SEND and safeguarding.
Register your interest
Not Currently Scheduled
There are no dates scheduled yet. Leave your details and we will let you know when the next run is announced.