Safeguarding Policy
Last Updated: April 2024
To be updated: April 2026
The purpose of this policy statement is:
• To protect children and young people who meet with a mediator from Nationwide Mediation, as part of child inclusive mediation, from harm. This will include being alert to the possibility of harm to the children of adults who use our services for mediation but whose children do not meet with a mediator.
• To protect vulnerable adults, or those who may feel suicidal, from harm that they might do to themselves, or harm that they may do to each other
• To provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families,with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection and safeguarding vulnerable adults.
• This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Nationwide Mediation, including all mediators, volunteers, and observers. It should be read before being part of any mediation meeting or confidential information about clients.
• This policy should be read in conjunction with the Vulnerable and Suicidal clients’ policy.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning. It also encompasses key parts of the Family Mediation Council Code of Practice in relating to safeguarding children, and vulnerable adults.
Supporting documents
This policy statement should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, Vulnerable and Suicidal clients policy, and any other relevant documents including the office manual and induction folder.
We believe that:
• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
• we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, together with vulnerable adults, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
• That some adults may be more vulnerable than others and they may not identify as
needing additional care.
• all children and adults, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
• some children and some adults are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other
agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare, and that of vulnerable adults.
We will seek to keep children and young people, and vulnerable adults safe by:
• valuing, listening to and respecting them in initial, MIAMS, joint, shuttle and child inclusive mediation meetings
• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for mediators and agents
• providing effective management for mediators, agents through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data
protection legislation and guidance (more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for-organisations)
• making sure that children, young people, and their families, together with vulnerable adults, know where to go for help if they have a concern
• using our safeguarding and vulnerable and suicidal clients policies to guide our work and by sharing concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and carers appropriately
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment
• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people,
vulnerable adults, mediators and agents, by applying health and safety measures in
accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
• building a safeguarding culture where mediators and agents, clients, children and young people treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.
Contact details:
Nationwide Mediation Ltd
Phone: 0333 880 3678
Email: hello@nationwidemediation.co.uk
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000
This policy statement came into force on 9th December 2020. We are committed to
reviewing our policy and good practice annually. This policy statement and accompanying
procedures were last reviewed on 18th April 2024.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Introduction
In relation to its general practice, including but not limited to its status as a consultancy, Nationwide Mediation is fully committed to an equality, diversity and inclusion policy and Nationwide Mediation wishes to ensure that this policy is similarly extended to its mediation, training and PPC support services. This policy will apply equally to those seeking mediation, PPC support, or training services.
Policy Statement
Nationwide Mediation’s policy is to ensure that no potential or existing client, consultee,
consultant providing mediation for Nationwide Mediation, or person attending a training
course is disadvantaged on the grounds of sex, gender, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, disability, age, sexual orientation, religious belief or creed. This policy applies to all aspects of recruitment and selection of participants for mediation, for PPC support, and for training. Nationwide Mediation will always strive to ensure that all people are treated equally and that reasonable adjustments are made to achieve this.
Consultants
Consultants will not be accepted to provide mediation for Nationwide Mediation unless they agree to commit themselves to this diversity policy.
Nationwide Mediation
April 2024
Neurodiversity Policy
Nationwide Mediation
Last Revised: April 2024
Next review: April 2025
This Policy should be read alongside the corresponding information about Neurodiversity.
Nationwide Mediation is committed to the heightened awareness of rights for disabled workers and those who become disabled at work. The National Autistic Society estimates that there are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK today and the Chartered Institute for
Personnel Development (CIPD) estimate that at least 10% of the UK population are neurodivergent. The scope of this policy covers the neurodiverse workplace and the provision of our mediation services as well as our training, PPC support and mentoring services, including individuals who are neurodivergent.
Policy Statement
This policy covers the agreed approach of Nationwide Mediation towards potential and existing mediators, clients, their children and consultees, and delegates attending training
courses, who are neurodivergent, or believe they are neurodivergent. Nationwide Mediation
welcomes the wide range of skills and attributes brought by all including those with a
neurodivergent profile. This policy applies to all employees, contractors and mediators.
Nationwide Mediation is committed to removing barriers that hinder disabled people from accessing jobs, buildings or services as well as invisible barriers such as attitudes and perceptions. Nationwide Mediation supports the Social Model of Disability that looks at how society is organised and the social and institutional barriers, which restrict disabled people’s
opportunities.
Nationwide Mediation recognises that every employee or contractor who is or thinks they might be neurodivergent has the right to raise and discuss their issues with Louisa Whitney (as Principal) in the knowledge that the matter will be dealt with in a sensitive, confidential,
non-judgemental and effective manner.
Nationwide Mediation will ensure that as far as is possible, to eliminate any form of discrimination through policies, practices, attitudes or procedures that can impact on neurodivergent employees or contractors.
We acknowledge that: (1) Every neurodivergent employee or contractor is different and this includes employees or contractors with the same form of neurodivergence; (2) Failure to provide the right type of support to a neurodivergent worker or contractor can affect an individual’s performance.
Objective
The purpose of this policy is to:
• Ensure that those employees, contractors and clients seeking assistance, whether
they are neurodivergent or may believe they are neurodivergent, are confident in approaching Nationwide Mediation for assistance.
• Assist and support neurodivergent employees, contractors and clients by signposting support we are aware of e.g the National Autistic Society
• Aid colleagues in supporting neurodivergent colleagues and clients through training
Definition
The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment which has a
substantial and long-term adverse effect on an employee or contractor’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
Neurodiversity is the property of the human species, in that it contains individuals with different neurology. Neurodivergence is an umbrella term for a set of different skills profiles that including dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Tourette syndrome and other conditions.
Disclosing a Disability
Nationwide Mediation recognises that disclosing a disability is an individual choice and will:
• Respect the decision of neurodiverse employees, contractors and clients to disclose / not disclose their diversities but aim to create a culture where disclosure is a positive act
• Maintain strict confidence of the neurodivergence and needs
• Not place any undue pressure on any employee, contractor or client to disclose their
disability but will make clear the support that is available through disclosure.
Working Environment
Nationwide Mediation recognises that neurodivergent people often have atypical sensory sensitivities. Nationwide Mediation will review all aspects of the sensory environment to make it as benign and accessible as possible.
With huge thanks to Ravi K. Mahey at Duncan Lewis for this document which has been adapted to suit our needs as an organisation
Vulnerable and Suicidal Clients Policy
Last reviewed: April 2024
To be reviewed: April 2026
1. This policy is to be used in situations where a mediator or other member of staff has concerns about the personal safety of a client. Such situations arise where a client has disclosed an intention or plan to harm themselves, or someone else, or even to commit suicide. This policy should be read in conjunction with the safeguarding policy.
2. If a mediator or member of support staff has concerns about a client’s intention to harm themselves, or others, the matter should be notified to Nationwide Mediation as a matter of urgency, using the emergency contact details provided.
Nationwide Mediation Phone: 0333 880 3678
hello@nationwidemediation.co.uk
3. The mediator or member of support staff should also consider whether to provide the client with the following details of support organisations:
Samaritans – 116123
Mind – 0300 123 3393 or text 86463
Saneline – 0300 304 7000 – 04.30 – 10.30pm daily
Support Line – 01708 765200 – info@supportline.org.uk
C.A.L.M. (for men) 5pm – 12pm daily – 0808 802 58 58 (London)
Silverline – (over 55s) – 24 hrs a day – 0800 4 70 80 90
Hub of Hope – contains post code search facility listing mental health services local to you – https://hubofhope.co.uk/
4. The FMC Guidance on Confidentiality states as follows:
1 Subject to paragraphs 5.2.2, 5.2.3 and 5.2.4 below, the Mediator must not disclose any information about, or obtained in the course of an Information and Assessment Meeting or during a mediation process to the other participant or to anyone including a court appointed officer or the court, without the express consent of each Participant, an order of the court or where the law imposes an overriding obligation of disclosure on Mediators to do so. 5.2.2 Where it appears necessary so that a specific allegation that a child has suffered significant harm may be properly investigated, or where the Mediator suspects that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm, the Mediator must ensure that the appropriate agency or authority is notified. Wherever possible, the Mediator should make such a notification after consultation with his or her PPC. 5.2.3 The Mediator may notify the appropriate agency if he or she considers that other public policy considerations prevail, such as an adult suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Wherever possible, the Mediator should make such a notification after consultation with his or her PPC.
5. A fee earner/member of support staff may seek the client’s consent to make such a disclosure. However, if they are concerned that this may have a negative effect on the client, they may (preferably in consultation with the partner) disclose the information to a third party without consulting the client beforehand. 6. If the mediator or member of staff thinks the client may be going to hurt themselves or has already hurt themselves, the relevant steps to take are as follows:
• If they are concerned that the client has already hurt themselves and they know their location – call 999 (they do not have to be in the same location as the client to do so). Note that for online meetings the mediator should ask at the start of the meeting where each party is so this information is readily available.
• Alternatively, they may call 116 123 (the Samaritans) who can call an ambulance on another person’s behalf.
• In addition to this, the mediator or member of staff may, if they have their details, call the client’s GP
• Some areas have mental health crisis teams that can be contacted – details can be found here, using the client’s address https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgentmental-health-helpline
7. Whether the emergency services are contacted or not, in any circumstances where there have been concerns about a client harming themselves, Louisa Whitney should be notified so that the mediator or member of support staff can be given the relevant support. The mediator should also contact their own PPC.
This policy statement came into force on 18th April 2024. We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually. This policy statement and accompanying procedures were last reviewed on 18th
April 2024.
Signed: Nationwide Mediation
Date: 18th April 2024