Resources & Information

Quadrant Court 49 Calthorpe Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1TH New phone number: 0121 337 0500 same email: charles@senmediator.co.uk

Due to his extensive mediation training, qualifications, practice and experience over the past 20 years, we are pleased to announce that Charles has been appointed a CMC Fellow - the very highest level of mediator recognition at the Civil Mediation Council.

Families of children with special educational needs have felt "utterly abandoned" during school closures, an MPs' committee has been told. Witnesses told the education committee those with extra educational, physical or emotional needs had seen support "fall off a cliff" amid lockdown. Risk assessments linked to Covid-19 had been used by some schools to prevent SEND pupils attending, it heard. There was also concern national catch-up plans do not mention SEND children. Witnesses from the special educational needs and disability (SEND) world painted a bleak and disturbing picture of life for pupils with additional needs.

We know it's a worrying time for everyone right now, but rest assured that everyone on the senmediator.co.uk team is still working for you! We have robust procedures in place and can continue to offer a really great SEN mediation service. Staff are working remotely, and putting in extra hours (and may take a little longer to get back to you) so please do bear with us. All mediations are now being handled via our Active Case Management protocol, with meetings (if required) by online video. Taking part in a video mediation is easy – it's via Whats App, so no special software, knowledge or equipment is needed (just a smartphone and WiFi connection). We are here to help, and will do our best to assist you.

OK so hit this link and listen A really long day in Birmingham yesterday mediating James Brindley cases (thanks for turning out in the hols Esther = 5*SENCo!) What struck me was almost every case exemplified SEMH overtaking SEN as the primary need. Yes I know CAMHS/FTB are inundated - but these kids need help NOW, not in 6-12 months (if they ever get accepted). Mental health is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) barrier to accessing education, and all the CYP's discussed yesterday (one actually turned up - great!) have a sad and long history of not getting the help they need, when they need it. When it arrives it's often just Citalopram or CBT - but the damage is already buried under a 'weight of inaction'. Thank goodness the Birmingham LA Tribunal officers are totally 'on the ball' on these cases in mediation, assessing and issuing and making provision when it's clear. But sometimes it's not- what to do then? My advice is to get a sensory assessment (which is often the 'missing piece'). Either an EP or OT (depending on your LA/school/college) can do this. In the meantime enjoy the track - maybe your child will like it too...

People often ask me 'how do I learn negotiation? (which is a core mediation skill set). Well, I think most of us skipped that lesson (for the reason it wasn't offered at school... or pretty much anywhere else). That's why most people don't know how to negotiate (and anthropologically do so on what's called a 'positional bargaining' basis). Positional bargaining derives from the hard-wired 'fight or fight' response, and is not the best way of getting what you want or need - as I have a postgraduate Master's degree in conflict resolution, you're going to have to trust me on this! I love this cartoon because it illustrates how most of us feel when presented with a 'negotiation challenge'. In coming posts I will explain how to negotiate. Really? - just 'giving it away'?... sure!, the more people who know how to do it properly, the better. Remember, I don't do mediation 'to you', I do it 'with you' - effectively teaching you how it works, and therefore 'how to do it'. It works with SEN, negotiating with your children, partner, whatever... watch this space!