Homelessness and Mediation

SCSH are committed to working with Scottish homelessness and mediation projects to share information and develop good practice. This includes holding events that bring together existing mediation projects from across Scotland, national players such as SACRO and Family Mediation Scotland, as well as homelessness specialists to share ideas about mediation and discuss its role in homelessness prevention. SCSH believes that mediation can play an important role in a broad based homelessness prevention strategy.

Of course, it is central to the idea of mediation that it remains neutral about outcomes so. In particular, it should not be seen simply as a means to coerce young people to stay at home. Rather, it should be seen as part of the holistic approach to talking homelessness as recommended by the Homelessness Task Force. If families can get on better, it is more likely that they can stay together. And for those who do not stay together, mediation may be able to help them support each other through the transition.

• Recent Event: Mediation and Homelessness - a half-day information sharing seminar, Friday 16th May 2008
• Previous Events: Mediation and Homelessness - a one day mini-conference, Friday 15th June 2007

Typically the aims of mediation service for preventing youth homelessness might be as follows:

• Enabling the young person to remain at home through the resolution of conflict
• Enabling the young person to leave home in a planned and supported way
• Enabling the young person to return home and last but absolutely not least,
• Enabling the young person, where they are already in their own accommodation to reopen the lines of communication and to re-establish their networks of support.

(From Edinburgh Cyrenians, Amber presentation).

Case Study

Courtesy of Amber (Edinburgh)

Josh and his parents were referred to us by their social worker due to Josh’s anger and the fear on the parents’ part that one day his father was going to “blow”. There was a real concern in the family home that the arguments were getting increasingly heated and that Josh’s dad was finding it harder and harder not to respond to Josh’s “invitations” to “have a go”. Both parents understood that if Josh’s dad did hit Josh that this would have serious repercussions for them all.

Our first task was to meet with the family members individually and to talk through with them what the issues were at the current time and how they felt about the situation, we also spoke about what each of them would like to see happen and what they might be able to do to change things.

From these first meetings it became clear that all the family, and especially Josh, wanted the fighting to stop and for them all to start respecting each other’s space more.

A further two meetings were held with Josh and one more with his parents. The reason for having two meetings with Josh was really around providing him with the space and time to find his own words and ways of expressing himself. From the start we have recognised that teenagers often really struggle to get the words that they want to say and do need a little bit more time and effort than their parents might but with focused time they can get to where they need to be for the face to face meeting.

At the meeting itself, which turned out to be something of an event for the family, an agreement was reached that included the acknowledgement that each of the family needed time to themselves, that they would all reduce the amount of swearing and shouting in the house, and that Josh’s parents needed time together with out the children and that they would organise for this to happen. Finally, they all agreed with Josh’s suggestion that he start an anger management course. This agreement was signed at the end of November and continues to hold.

Briefings

Shelter - Developing a youth homeless mediation scheme in Scotland: a good practice guide. This briefing is aimed primarily at practitioners interested in establishing a mediation scheme focused on homeless young people. It is a starting point for those considering setting up a scheme, or building links with a provider of mediation services.

Research

Department for Communities and Local Government - Evaluating Homelessness Prevention. This research was commissioned in 2004 to investigate the practical implementation of homelessness prevention on the part of local authorities and their partner agencies.

The Foyer Federation - The Safe Moves Initiative: An Evaluation. An evaluation of 'Safe Moves', a pilot project testing a model of preventing homelessnes involving mentoring and mediation.

Scottish Executive - Evaluation of Homelessness Prevention Activities in Scotland. (see pages 73-80). This research maps and analyses the homelessness prevention activities of local authorities and partner agencies, with the aim of helping authorities assesss the usefulness of different approaches and establish the basis for ongoing monitoring of these activites.

Useful Publications

A good practice guide to mediating with young people and their families, Alone in London, 2006. This guide describes Alone in London's approach to mediation with young people at risk of homelessness along with a thorough discussion of a range of background issues including evaluation and outcomes. The guide also includes a range of templates / sample policies, e.g. service level agreement, mediator worker job description. "[There is a] range of 'soft' based outcomes that both parties may acquire during the process. These include increased assertiveness, conflict resolution skills and improved communication."
Dreams Deferred, the families and friends of homeless and vulnerable people, Lemos & Crane, 2002 This report looks at the significance of friends and family on homeless and vulnerable young people and argues for the development of person-centred support services.
Mediation for young homeless people: A good practice guide, Shelter, 2004. Guidance on mediation for those working with young people who are, or may become, homeless.
Safe Moves for Young People - Toolkit, Foyer Federdation This toolkit provides agencies with a model for homelessness prevention initiatives which they can employ and develop locally. It is based on 4 pilot projects and provides a policy context as well as some statistical background to the need of such a scheme.

Homelessness Task Force Report, Scottish Executive

Family Mediation
'Mediation is a process of assisted direct negotiation where parties reach agreement with the help of a trained third party, the mediator.'
Family Mediation Scotland discusses homelessness and family mediation.
www.familymediationscotland.org.uk

SACRO
SACRO describes some of their services such as community medation and mediation accreditation.
www.sacro.org.uk

Scottish Social Networks Forum
'Social Capital refers to social networks that may provide access to resources and social support.'
The importance of social networks in mediation is discussed.
www.scottishsocialnetworks.org

South Ayrshire Council
South Ayrshire Council offers mediation in an initial interview with a young person, with a member of staff from the mediation team present to explain what the process involves.
www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk

Stirling Council Mediation Service
Stirling Council emphasis the importance of being pro-active with potential referrers.
www.stirling.gov.uk

AMBER, Edinburgh Cyrenians
A description of services offered by AMBER, a mediation service provided in partnership between Edinburgh Cyrenians and SACRO.
www.cyrenians.org.uk

Useful Links

AMBER Mediation Service, Edinburgh Cyrenians

Family Mediation Scotland

SACRO

Scottish Mediation Network

Scottish Social Networks Forum

Useful Contacts for Scottish Homelessness Mediation Services

1. Bill Muir, Dundee, info@familymediationonline.co.uk, 01382 201 343

2. Donna MacPhee, East and North Ayrshire, info@irvine.sacro.org.uk, 01294 314 020

3. East Dunbartonshire Community Mediation Service, 0141 574 5771

4. Lesley Fairley, East Lothian, info@eastlothian.sacro.org.uk, 0131 653 3421

5. Angela Feherty, East Renfrewshire, angela.feherty@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk, 0141 577 3202

6. Viki Phillipps, Edinburgh, viki@cyrenians.org.uk, 0131 475 2493

7. Janice Wilson, Highland, janice.wilson@highland.gov.uk, 01463 702 052

8. Michael Cavenagh, Stirling, mediation@stirling.gov.uk, 01786 432 408

9. Carol Hope, Scotland, hopemediation@aol.com, www.hopemediation.co.uk, 0791 741 4009

If you would like to be added to this contact list please contact Matt Elton, Head of Youth Unit (contact us).

Download the full programme. To discuss any issues to do with homelessness and mediation please contact Matt Elton (contact us) or call him on 0131 226 4382.

Last updated: April 2008