When: 25 March 2024, 9.30am-3.30pm
Where: Alton Activity Centre, Ellisfield Drive London SW15 4DR
Directions: take bus 170, 85, or 493. For Google Maps directions, click here.
Register your free place by filling out the form below, or clicking here.
Free lunch and coffee provided.
Reducing parental conflict, workshop description:
We invite you to attend a new, free 1-day course in Reducing Parental Conflict aimed at local groups, volunteers, community and faith organisations, and anyone else supporting families in Roehampton. ‘Reducing Parental Conflict’ is a national initiative funded by the Government to support co-parents in resolving disagreements about what’s best for their children and the family as a whole. The training is free and funded by Richmond and Wandsworth Council.
Come along and gain practical skills to help families who are in disagreement over the way they parent their children. Discover ways to help parents and family members improve cooperation and reduce disagreements, whether they live together or apart. Learn how to encourage positive communication for the sake of the children. Understand the key differences between parental conflict and domestic abuse. (Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviour in any relationship that is used to establish control using coercive, threatening, violent behaviour including sexual violence. Please note that this training is not suitable for situations where there is or has been domestic abuse).
This interactive course is led by experienced mediators and trainers: Michele Beute and Lizzie Haynes from Wandsworth Mediation Service.
What will I gain from the training?
- Acquire essential life skills such as active listening, effective questioning techniques, and positive communication methods to apply with your family, in your community, and at your workplace. These skills will help you talk about relationships and conflict.
- Learn about the stages of relationships, the nature of conflict, and its effects on children.
- Gain an understanding of feelings, needs and behaviour in conflict, and learn ways to achieve positive, effective communication.
- Learn about and connect with local organisations that help families to communicate better.
- Obtain a resource pack equipped with tools to support families under stress.
About Wandsworth Mediation Service
Wandsworth Mediation Service (WMS) is an award-winning, non-profit conflict resolution and training provider. For nearly two decades, our mission has been to empower individuals to manage disputes effectively and prevent them from escalating. We have helped thousands of people reach a peaceful agreement quickly, confidentially, and without the need for formal action. For the breadth of our work and the impact of our service, in 2023 we received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), the highest award given to volunteer groups in the UK, equivalent to an MBE.
We are a registered charity. Income generated from commercial mediations and training supports our free community work in Wandsworth, such as:
- Neighbour mediation: for boundary disputes, noise nuisance claims, anti-social behaviour.
- Family mediation: to tackle disputes within families and between different families (parents-adult children, siblings), child contact arrangements (but not financial or divorce disputes).
- School mediation between parents and staff: resolving issues over SEN, exclusion/disciplinary actions, admission process, discrimination, bullying.
- Homes for Ukraine mediation: resolving host-guest issues, communication breakdown;
- Facilitated group conversations between say a group of different families.
- Conflict coaching: 1-1 support, helping people navigate disagreements with a colleague, friend or family member when that person doesn’t wish to mediate.
We also provide paid-for, CMC-accredited commercial service, with top-ranked mediation professionals who donate their expertise to us pro bono. Our past clients range from large corporations like the Post Office to small businesses and community organisations. All income supports our community work.
- Workplace mediation: useful for those having disputes with their colleagues or line managers, or those who aim to “leave well” (£750, no VAT)
- Commercial mediation: this can help with landlord-tenant disputes, customer service issues, contract disputes, etc.
