News
Service Spotlight: January 2025
Family and Community Mediation Argyll & Bute
Our service has been mediating in Argyll & Bute since 2004, throughout this time we have supported many families through times of crisis.
We are the second largest local authority area in Scotland with a vast area of 690,946 hectares that consists of four main regions: Bute & Cowal, Oban/Lorn & Isles, Mid Argyll/Kintyre & Islands and Helensburgh & Lomond. 47.2% is classed as rural, this area includes 28 inhabited islands with an total population of 85,953.
We have continually offered both in-person and online mediation as a rule due to the region’s demographics. Although, online mediation came to the forefront in 2020 after the first lockdown. All mediators received additional training to accommodate the demand for online mediation during this difficult time.
Our referrals may be made directly by individuals, social services, solicitors or through the court system. We are a charitable organisation and receive part of our funding from the Scottish Government. We do have some provision to waiver costs for families in need, but we require to apply for additional funding to fill in the short fall.
In 2013 our service made changes to include community and homeless mediation. This transition occurred because The Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 placed an additional statutory requirement on all local authorities to implement new strategies that aimed to prevent people from becoming homeless. This was with particular regard to the 2012 commitment, whereby the priority need distinction would be abolished and that anyone who was considered unintentionally homeless would be guaranteed settled accommodation. As such, local authorities implemented various preventative measures and activities to help alleviate housing-related problems before they reach the stage of someone becoming homeless.
Therefore, in April 2013, Argyll and Bute Council Housing Services entered into a formal partnership with Family Mediation Argyll and Bute, and our constitution was updated to include this additional support. It was recognised that when any family member is in conflict, this affects the whole family of the person involved, the ripple effect of the “pebble in the water”. The local authority recognised the existing evidence which affirmed the beneficial role that mediation could play in preventing a young person from becoming homeless. Based on the housing options approach when a client first presents as homeless, the local authority will, if suitable, refer the person to the mediation service to help resolve the housing issue and hopefully prevent the young person from becoming homeless.
The four types of cases that our mediation service focused on under the council contract for housing included:
- clients who were being made homeless as a result of being asked to leave the family home;
- owner occupiers who were disputing common repairs;
- private tenants who were having problems with their landlords;
- and arguments between neighbors.
These types of cases, in turn, help establish the overlapping aim of the mediation project which is to prevent homelessness.
As an existing service in the area, we already had the skill set necessary to meet the needs required and also an understanding of the logistical challenges met by the clients and service when attending appointments often in rural locations. We also understand that our Principle of Confidentiality is paramount in these small communities with 25% of residents living in small settlements with approximately 500 people. Clients are often apprehensive about the possibility of their often-sensitive situations becoming public knowledge, preventing them from engaging.
Argyll & Bute Council no longer hold housing stock, with Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) providing public social housing. We have an Information Sharing Protocol with the main providers and a good working relationship has been established. Our referrals are from all tenures, which can be from individual RSL’s, directly from the Council’s Housing Officers or from the Antisocial Behaviour Officers. Individuals may also contact us directly.
We are currently operating with four Registered Mediators who have received all formal qualifications with Relationship Scotland, Family Mediation through Napier University, Edinburgh and additional training for working within the housing sector. Our services are also registered with the Scottish Mediation and continually meet their Standards of Practice.