Family Support Partnership
We have included a number of ADR scheme profiles on this site. These are examples of ADR provision that offer an interesting and potentially useful model; they are usually only available in a limited geographical area, not nationwide, though some are being evaluated for potential expansion.
This page describes the Family Support Partnership in Lanarkshire.
Further information is given below on:
Background
Types of problem
Cost
How it works
Timescale
Background
The Family Support Partnership is a strategic partnership which brings together services in North and South Lanarkshire offering relationship counselling, sexual therapy, family mediation and child contact centres. The organisations involved are:
- Family Mediation South Lanarkshire
- Relate Lanarkshire
- Scottish Marriage Care
The idea of the partnership is to provide a completely joined-up service for all couples and families experiencing problems, at any stage of their relationship.
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Types of problem
The FOCCUS service (facilitating open couple communication and study) is a relationship inventory for couples who are planning to marry or cohabit. It aims to help couples learn more about themselves and their relationship through a detailed questionnaire and a meeting with a FOCCUS facilitator. Before making a long-term commitment, you can explore your own and your partner’s feelings about a whole range of issues such as lifestyle expectations, friends, interests, communication, problem solving, religion and values, parenting, extended family, sex, finance, and careers.
The relationship counselling services offer a chance for anyone aged 16 or over to talk about relationship difficulties. You can come on your own, or with your partner, and it doesn’t matter whether you are single, married, living together, in a same-sex relationship, separated or divorced. Counselling helps you take time out from your situation, and see it from a fresh perspective. Working with a counsellor gives you, or you and your partner, a chance to think about what you can do to change your situation for the better.
The sex therapy service works with couples who are experiencing problems in their sexual relationship. You can explore complex and sensitive issues together, in a safe and confidential environment.
The family mediation service is used by couples who are separating or divorcing. If you can’t agree about where your children will live, how contact visits will be arranged, or how to sort out your money or your home, then meeting together with a family mediator can help you get talking, learn how to communicate better, and negotiate arrangements without too many arguments. Grandparents, step-parents and children can all get involved if that would help.
A child contact centre is a safe, child-friendly, neutral place where contact can take place between children and their parents, or with other family members. They can be especially useful where contact hasn’t taken place for a long time, where the non-resident parent does not have a suitable place to meet with the children, or where there is a need for some form of supervision. Contact centres have toys, games, and other facilities, and staff can help with handing the child over to the other parent, so you don’t have to meet face-to-face if you don’t want to. A mediated agreement about contact could include plans to use a contact centre, and the Family Support Partnership means that referrals can easily be made.
Cost
All the organisations involved are charities, and do not aim to make a profit from the services they provide.
- The FOCCUS relationship inventory costs £50 per couple
- Relationship counselling and sex therapy is free, but if you can afford it you are asked to make a donation to cover the cost, which is around £40 per session
- Family mediation is free, but donations to help with the cost of running the service are encouraged
- Child contact centres are free to use, though donations are welcome
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How it works
Getting in touch with the services offered through the partnership is straightforward – you can phone or email, and all the contact details are provided on the website. You can also get a referral through your doctor, solicitor, or other health professional.
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Timescale
Appointments for family mediation and for the visits to the child contact centres can usually be made within a week. You have to wait longer to get an appointment for relationship or sex therapy – probably around eight to twelve weeks.
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February 2008
