Mediation Hertfordshire - Hemel Hempstead

chippyminton0

I had a mediation session though this organisation towards the end of last year. I assume the mediator was a trainee because another mediator was overseeing the session. Three hours of trying to get the answer to two questions.

When will you stop breastfeeding our nearly 5 year old daughter and when will you allow her to sleep at my house with my two other children, her siblings for the first time ever?

My daughters mother pushed the date back 4 times during the meeting and eventually manipulated the outcome saying we could talk about it again further in 5 months time. This was her Maintaining her control and the uncertainty of whether my daughter was ever going to have a proper relationship with me and her siblings. I knew what she was doing because I had experienced this for nearly 5 years. However when I contested it by pointing out what she was doing, the overseer mediator quickly jumped to my daughters mothers defence. She spoke for her on her behalf and abruptly shut me off. They then went in to a break out room and on their return the trainee mediator told me I was at risk of derailing the mediation session. I asked him how? I had merely pointed out what she was doing. His response was that he could not tell me!.
From that point forward it no longer felt like a mediation session with two impartial people trying to help resolve a situation for two other people. Instead it felt like 3 against one with the overseer mediator even being prepared to verbally fight my daughters mothers corner.
Fast forwards a year and the mother has made visits and communication virtually impossible. She is doing everything she can to delete us from my little girls life.
For my sin of asking to have my daughter stay over night with us, my punishment is that we do not get to see or even communicate with my daughter atall. This isn't mediation herts doing but by clearly siding with her in the meeting they gave her reassurance that what she was doing was acceptable.
I left that meeting feeling totaly helpless and dejected.

The office staff really where good at what they do. They where incredibly helpfull, caring and just nice people. This is a great service to offer and I have the upmost admiration and respect for people who give up their own time and abilty to help others. I am sure there are members of this service that really are great at maintaining impartiality and achieving successfull outcomes even giving the most difficult of sessions. however due to my own personal experience I can only give mediation herts one star

I wouldn't use this service again.

Dave Dave

Excellent service

Ps 4