Joining Family Matters in June 2020, Lorraine brought an empathetic and pragmatic approach to mediation she can assess clients’ needs and clearly explain their mediation pathway. At the beginning of her training , Lorraine worked in the Family Matters referrals team this gave her an insight into the client’s perspective of mediation from the start of the process experiencing first hand the difficulties people have in understanding and starting the mediation process .
Lorraine says that starting her traineeship in 2020, at the height of COVID, was challenging as all work was online :
“Making mediation accessible for clients both online and face-to-face means that they can find the way of mediating which best suits their needs . The structure of online financial mediation works for clients who say they feel relaxed at home and can find information easily. Within the mediation process participants grow in confidence about their financial future and make informed decisions and agreements that they are comfortable to live with”.
Lorraine has developed a particular interest in financial mediation and mediation about finances and children saying that when finances are agreed often parents can use the skills learned in mediation to agree arrangements for their children. She continues to value the importance of children having a relationship with each of their parents if it is safe to do so and views the mediation process as essential for parents to develop their co-parenting partnership for their own benefit and that of their children.
Lorraine strongly believes that mediation is the best process for resolving any kind of conflict, either about finances or child arrangements and that children thrive when their parents are helped to work together as separated parents .
