MII Conference Family Mediation Unplugged Presentation by Family

MII Conference Family Mediation Unplugged Presentation by Family Mediation Services, Legal Aid Board Fiona Mc. Auslan Director Grace Corrigan Mediator Pauline Eustace Mediator

Brief History • Established in July 1986 under the auspices of the Department of Justice. • The first publicly funded family mediation scheme in Europe. • Transferred to the new Department of Equality and Law Reform in 1993 • Transferred to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs In 1998. • Transferred to the Family Support Agency in 2001 • Finally put on a statutory footing under the Family Support Agency Act 2001. • Amalgamated with the Legal Aid Board on the 1 st November 2011. Statutory Framework There are two key pieces of legislation that pertain: 1. The Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 2. The Mediation Act 2017

The Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 Legal Aid Board Statutory Obligations under the Act:

Overview Stats

Entry Points to Mediation

Client Journey (All Issues) Multiple elements can be handled in a single session or some elements can take multiple sessions to conclude

Client Journey (Courts based) Multiple elements can be handled in a single session or some elements can take multiple sessions to conclude

Policy and Procedure • Mediator Professional Practice Handbook – Domestic Violence Policy – Capacity to Mediate – Child Protection Policy – Child Consultation Policy – Data Protection & GDPR – Templates compliant with the Mediation Act

Some of the International Influences • • • John Haynes: Original All issues Model Fisher and Ury: Negotiation. Kenneth Cloke: Conflict and Peace analysis. Bernie Mayer: Mediation Process and Skills/ Jean Paul Lederach: Peace making. Joan B Kelly: Child Focused Mediation Bush and Folger: Transformative. Michael Lang. Reflective Practice Winslade and Monk: Narrative Mediation. Jen Mackintosh: Child Consultation.

Case Discussion