Child Contact Centre Awareness Week: Myths and Truths
It’s Child Contact Centre Awareness Week in Scotland and in Europe. For those who are unaware of what a child contact centre does, Pauline Nimmo addresses some common myths and truths to shed more light. Myths Child Contact Centres are full of junkies, paedophiles and alcoholics. CCC are not full of ‘junkies, paedophiles…
Read MoreOnline sessions have added a new dimension to counselling
This article first appeared in the Scotsman on 17 March 2022 As the world changed in April 2020, it became evident that if counsellors were to be able to meet the needs of their clients, counselling would have to find a home in the online world. Having made this transition out of necessity, and as…
Read MoreFamily Mediation for All
We know that families come in all shapes and sizes and that parents, children and other family members have different life experiences and make their own life choices. Our mediators are skilled at helping all families find solutions that are as unique as they are. We also know that some people might be concerned about…
Read MoreIt’s good to talk in Family Mediation
This article first appeared in the Scotsman on 20 January 2022. Do you wish you could have a discussion with your ex-partner about the arrangements for the children which made some progress towards a resolution? Many people find communicating with their child’s other parent hugely challenging. Difficulty in communicating might have been one of the…
Read MoreFamily Mediation – working alongside other support for families in the context of Separation and Divorce
This is the story of one of our families who were attending the Child Contact Centre, and how they made effective use of mediation. Sophie (not her real name) was around 7 years old, and she was brought to the Centre fortnightly on a Saturday by her Mum, to spend time with her Dad. The…
Read MoreFamily Mediation – involving other family members
Family Mediation provided by Relationships Scotland is typically between two parents who live apart and want to discuss the care arrangements for their child or children. The context is separation, divorce or family re-structuring or perhaps the parents were not together as a couple when the child was born. Sometimes it can be helpful for…
Read MoreFamily Mediation – the Child’s Voice
All of the Family Mediation provided by Relationships Scotland is child focussed. Mediators help parents, carers and other family members to think about how things are from each child’s perspective, and to take this in to account in their discussions, future planning and decision making. It can be really helpful for children to express their…
Read MoreFamily Mediation Week, 17 to 21 January 2022
For Family Mediation Week 2022 we are focussing on what parents say about their experience of participating in Family Mediation with Relationships Scotland, and sharing some of the stories of what parents found most helpful. One parent told us: ‘It makes a big difference just being able to listen to what each of us has…
Read MoreWhat to consider when looking for a family mediator
Are you looking for a family mediator to help with communication and decision making? There are a few things you might want to think about and check out before choosing who to approach. These include the type of disagreements, the qualifications of the mediator and any fees or charges that apply. What is the…
Read MoreChildren, Contact and Lockdown
After a year like no other, it is more important than ever that children are supported to keep in touch with both parents after separation, when it is safe and possible for them to do so, says Stuart Valentine, Chief Executive of Relationships Scotland Bringing up children, as all parents will know, can be highly challenging.…
Read MoreTry counselling to rescue your relationship – Mhairi Canning
As we approach almost a year of some degree of lockdown, the strain on our wellbeing and the impact on our relationships have never been more evident. How we usually operate as a couple has altered due to the circumstances. Our relationships in pre-COVID times consisted of a balance of time together and time apart.…
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