Services

The Charity for Civil Servants has been working in partnership with Relationships Scotland for several years, providing access to relationship counselling throughout Scotland. We work with individuals and couples to identify the best options available to suit your needs. If you are a Civil Servant, past or present or you work for an organisation sponsored…

Since the 1990s a noticeable shift within Scottish culture has occurred – it is now expected that children’s opinions will be sought and considered on a wide range of issues. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children who are capable of forming a view have a right to express those…

I was delighted to be invited to attend the launch of an exciting new family mediation research initiative in South County Dublin in May this year, alongside the Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin Vickers. The Family Mediation Project is offering means-tested family mediation to parents, grandparents and their children in their communities. The innovative process…

As the sole representative from Scotland at an international consultation event on modern family justice I was both intrigued and excited to be heading to Windsor Castle for 24 hours on 12th February. Relate and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) hosted a discussion for 30 ‘experts in the field’, from lawyers to…

Children should be supported to keep in touch with both parents after separation, whenever it is safe and possible for them to do so, says Stuart Valentine, Chief Executive of Relationships Scotland (This article originally appeared in the Scotsman) Bringing up children is one of the toughest challenges anyone can face. Even with the well-intentioned…

Should we be listening to children and young people directly, or hearing their views via their parents? This is a question that exercises the minds of those who work in the family law field and is receiving heightened attention from policy makers in Scotland at the moment. Does it put pressure on children and young…

1.Why did you decide to pursue a career in child contact centres and family mediation? While doing the Diploma in counselling I found Relationships Scotland – Family Mediation South Lanarkshire while looking for a placement. Although not relevant to my training I spoke to the manager who explained the CCC and I was immediately interested…

One of our counsellors Di Farmer has currently submitted her dissertation as part of a MA (hons) Sociology Degree at Glasgow University. The title is “Wrong Heads In Wrong Beds” – explaining Relationship Counsellors views of Infidelity. It seeks to address a gap in sociological research, in a subject which is more widely recognised psychologically. The main …

Mediation is not being utilised to its fullest potential in Scotland at present. With the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee recommending a “wholesale review” of Scots family law this year, I would suggest that this opportunity is used to encourage a greater use of mediation and to raise awareness of the benefits of choosing to settle…

Parenting Apart information sessions have been offered across Scotland, from 11 Member Services, since funding was awarded by the Scottish Government in April 2015. In that time over 300 parents have participated in group or individual sessions and found out how to make splitting up less stressful for children. The feedback from parents has been…

The Charity for Civil Servants

Giving Children and Young People a Voice when Parents Separate – How Mediation can Help

Supporting developments in Family Mediation – with our neighbours!

A future for European collaboration? Learning how best to help children whose parents are in dispute

For the Sake of the Kids

Hearing from children when their parents separate or divorce

Q&A with experienced Family Mediator and Child Contact Centre Manager Pauline Nimmo.

Wrong Heads In Wrong Beds

Mediation or Litigation? A Brief Overview of the Benefits of Mediation

Parenting Apart Project – Year 1 Summary