Mediation and Disagreement Resolution - Manchester City Council commissioned providers

Mediation and Disagreement Resolution services

What is Mediation?

• Applies to parent/carers and young people who are considering appealing to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDist)
• Can take place following a decision not to carry out an EHC needs assessment, not to draw up an EHC plan, after receipt of a final EHC plan or amended plan, following a decision not to amend a plan or a decision to cease to maintain a plan
• Applies to parent/carers and young people who want mediation on the health and social care elements of an EHC plan
• Must be accessed within 2 months of a decision letter being issued by the local authority
• Does not affect the right to appeal to SENDist
• Parent/carers and young people do not have to contact a mediation service prior to registering an appeal to SENDist if the appeal is solely about the name of the school, college or other institution named on an EHC plan or the fact that no school or other institution is named. In all other cases contact must be made with an independent mediator before registering an appeal
• A Mediation Certificate is issued following discussion not to proceed to a meeting or after a meeting has taken place

How does mediation work?

Mediation is a way of trying to settle the dispute between you and the Local Authority and / or health. The mediation may also be attended by other relevant parties such as representatives from the child or young person’s school or college. It is free of charge.

The mediator will provide a summary of the discussion which may include actions agreed with a mediation certificate.

What is Disagreement Resolution?

• Covers all children and young people with special educational needs, not just those who are being assessed for or have an EHC plan
• Available to parent/carers and young people to resolve disagreements about any aspect of SEN provision
• Available to parent/carers and young people to resolve health and social care disagreements during the processes related to EHC needs assessments and EHC plans
• Use is voluntary and has to be with the agreement of all parties
• Can be requested at any time
• Decision not to use Disagreement Resolution does not affect the right to appeal to SENDist
  
  

How do I access Mediation or Disagreement Resolution providers or advice about these services?

Manchester City Council has commissioned five providers to deliver independent Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Services from March 2019. The providers are:

• Kids
• Link Mediation Services
• The Together Trust
• Collis Mediation
• Solution Talk

You can contact one of the service providers directly. See information and contact details for each provider below:

Kids
KIDS Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Mediation helps parents and young people resolve disputes about Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and Plans, as well as other SEND related issues. We have a team of specialist SEND mediators who are very experienced and have nationally recognised mediator accreditations.

Who to contact
Telephone: 03330 062 835 (local cost telephone number) – this has 2 options: one for first contact/organising MIAS and one for follow-up calls
Casework team email address: senmediation@kids.org.uk
Website: www.kids.org.uk/regional-mediation

LINK Mediation Services
LINK Mediation Services is a team of fully accredited, professional mediators who provide a friendly, confidential and impartial SEND mediation service for parents/carers and young people wishing to appeal a Local Authority decision. 

Who to contact
Laura Green
Telephone: 0800 999 5544
Email: SEND@linkmediation.co.uk 
Text enquiries: 07961 977393
Website: www.linkmediation.co.uk/mediation/special-educational-needs-disabilities-send

The Together Trust
The Together Trust’s SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service offers positive ways of resolving disagreements. They follow a similar informal process that brings parties with a disagreement together to discuss their issues.

Who to contact
Telephone: 0161 283 4848
Email: drs@togethertrust.org.uk
Website: www.togethertrust.org.uk/family-support/mediation

Collis Mediation
Our SEND mediators have a wealth of experience, qualifications and natural ability for delivering mediation and DRS in SEND. All mediators are accredited with the Civil Mediation Council.

Who to contact
Dominic Collis
Telephone: 07715 958290
Email address: info@collismediationltd.com
Website: www.collismediationltd.com/mediation/send-mediation/

Solution Talk
Solution Talk helps people to settle disagreements between parents or young people and local authorities and schools or other education providers. Our SEND mediators are listed on the register of Special Educational Needs & Disability Mediation Providers.

Who to contact
Telephone: 0161 883 3946
Mobile: 07799 584813 / 07828 162048
Email: info@solutiontalk.co.uk
Website: www.solutiontalk.co.uk/send-mediation

You can get more independent information about mediation and disagreement resolution from the Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service Manchester. They can help you through the process. Please see below:

Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Manchester
IAS Manchester offers impartial information, advice and support to parents and carers to increase their involvement in the education of their children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).The service also ensures that parents, carers and young people have access to information and advice about issues relating to the child or young person's health and social care.

Who to contact
Telephone: 0161 209 8356 (weekdays from 8.30am - 4pm)
Email: parents@manchester.gov.uk