For children and young adults
If you are a child or young person with serious health or care needs, it is really important to have your wishes and feelings heard. But it's not always easy. We are here to help.
You may have different thoughts, wishes and feelings about your care and treatment than your family/ carers or the professionals involved. Or you may feel the same as they do but think you’re not being listened to. Or you may be in a situation where disagreements are taking place around you which you are finding upsetting.
In mediation between your family/carers and the professionals, there are lots of different ways you can be involved. You may be able to take part in the mediation yourself if you feel able to. If you don't want to be there or you can't be there for whatever reason, you may want to have someone who you trust to represent your wishes and feelings to take part on your behalf.
At MMF we will always make sure we ask about how your views can be heard and will do our best to support you in whatever way you wish. Our role is to make sure that everyone's voice is heard in whatever way that is possible. As mediators, we do not take sides. We help you find a way forward which everyone can accept.
What we do
Our role as mediators is to help everyone involved to:
- be able to trust each other and speak to each other honestly and openly
- listen to and understand each other’s point of view
- keep you at the centre of decision-making
- avoid disagreements getting worse
- agree a way forward that everyone can accept
How we work
We work independently of any health or social care organisation. The mediation will go ahead once everyone is willing to take part. Before the mediation we will contact you to agree a convenient time to talk - online, on the phone or face to face. We discuss with you what mediation involves and talk to you about the disagreement. Mediation is a really flexible process so the number and length of meetings will vary from case to case.
Once we have talked to you and to your family/carers and understand the issues and feelings involved on all sides, we will work out a mediation process which will give everyone involved the best possible chance of reaching agreement. Sometimes this process may involve a number of meetings over several weeks depending on your situation and the complexities of your case.
Confidentiality
Everything that is said during a mediation is confidential.
We don’t share anything you tell us unless you give your consent.*
Only the terms of any agreement will be written down and documented in the care notes.
Mediation is “without prejudice” - a legal term which means that nothing said during the mediation can be used if the disagreement later goes to court.
*The only circumstances when confidentiality may not apply is where the mediator believes that there is a significant risk of harm to a person or if either side is breaking the law, or is ordered to disclose information by a court.