Register as a mediator

iron horse sculpture

Membership of Scottish Mediation Register is a professional standard for mediators. In order to join, mediators must meet the requirements set out in the Practice Standards. These standards ensure that mediators are trained to an appropriate standard, maintain and update their skills and have appropriate insurance. Joining the Scottish Mediation Register includes membership of SMN, whilst adding professional recognition. Mediators who join the SMR are displayed on the Find A Mediator section of the website. In addition to benefits of membership of the Scottish Mediation Network, Registered Mediators are eligible to apply to join the panel of the Scottish Mediation Helpline and are recognised as approved mediators for the purposes of Legal Aid by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

The Scottish Mediation Network is committed to quality assurance for mediation in Scotland. As a consequence, the Practice Standards are subject to regular review. SMN also provides opportunities for mediators to develop their skills, knowledge and practice through Initiative and Regional Groups, CPD opportunities and master classes provided by the experts from Scotland and beyond.

There is further information below, but if you have all the information that you need, you can JOIN NOW.

Guidance on Practice Standards

New Practice Standards

Advice note for mediation practitioners

Following a review and consultation on practice standards for the Scottish Mediation Register, a comprehensive report and new Practice Standards have been produced, these will replace the old Benchmark Standards. Both documents were approved by the Standards Board on 25^th May 2011. The new Practice Standards came into effect on 1^st June 2011.

There will be implications for mediators in Scotland both in the short and the long term. The Scottish Mediation Network will support all members and practitioners in ensuring they understand these changes and in achieving the new Practice Standards.

Timescale

Some changes found in the Practice Standards will take effect immediately, while some changes will take affect over the next 12 months. In addition there are changes that will take time to develop and implement. We aim to ensure that practitioners stay informed on these changes.

There are immediate changes in the areas of:

● Initial training requirement

● Sufficient experience

● Systems for addressing concerns

● Family and community mediators

Ongoing changes in the areas of:

● Maintaining a portfolio

● New category of mediator

There are also some longer term changes, which include:

● Learning and development plans

● Competency framework

What are the immediate changes?

The following changes will have immediate effect for all new applicants to the Scottish Mediation Register. However, all current members of the register who have paid before 1^st June 2011 will be deemed as meeting this requirement for the 2011-2012 membership year.

Initial training requirement

“The mediation training will include not less than 40 hours of tuition and role-play, (with a minimum of 20 of these training hours spent in role play or practical exercise) including a formal assessment. The assessment should include direct observation of practice as a mediator in role play.”

The initial training requirement for admission to the register has been raised from 30 to 40 hours of training, maintaining the previous requirement that 50% of this time be spent in role play or practical exercise.

Sufficient experience

Admission to register now requires the “completion of 2 mediations in the past 12 months and/or not less than 6 hours conducting mediations as a principle mediator in the past 12 months.” Previously, admission to the register required the same number of mediations and hours, but gave the options of “assistant, observer or co-mediator” as eligible hours for satisfying this criteria. These will no longer be acceptable as forms of experience for satisfying entry to the Register.

Systems for addressing concerns

All Scottish Mediation Network Registered mediators are required to have an appropriate system for addressing concerns. In addition to the Practice Standards now required mediators to “inform clients that when their own complaints handling process has been exhausted, the clients can, if they wish. Take a complaint to the Standards Board.”

Family and Community Mediators

Following the establishment of partnership agreements with Relationships Scotland and the Scottish Community Mediation Network, responsibility for setting practice standards (including initial training) for community and family mediators are deferred to the respective organisations:

“Family and Community Mediators must comply with the practice standards set by Relationship Scotland for Family Mediators and the Scottish Community Mediation Network for Community Mediators.”

“Only those mediators who were approved by Relationships Scotland or the Scottish Community Mediation Network, or who could evidence that their qualifications and practice standards were equivalent to those set by Relationships Scotland in respect of Family Mediators or the Scottish Community Mediation Network in respect of community mediators would be able to list themselves as family or community mediators on the Register.”

This change will not affect mediators who do not work in the fields of family or community and neighbourhood mediation.

What are the ongoing changes?

Maintaining a portfolio

The new Practice Standards take a step away from self certification and require all mediators to maintain a portfolio containing the following:

● Initial Training Certification

● Log of Mediations/Mediation hours undertaken

● Log of CPD hours and CPD certificates

● Certificate of Insurance

● Annual Training and Development Plan

These portfolios will be subject to random checks to ensure that the requirements for the register are being met. It is anticipated that approximately 10-15% of portfolios will be requested for verification.

Members of the register will be given 12 months from 1^st June to begin gathering and maintaining their portfolios. As a consequence, registered mediators should expect requests for portfolios to begin 1^st June 2012.

New category of mediator

A new category of mediator has been introduced: Advanced Mediator. The requirements for this category are higher than general admission onto the register and are as follows:

“Advanced Mediator requires completion of initial training and 15 and/or not less than 60 hours conducting mediations in the past 12 months as principal mediator or co-mediator in the past 12 months.”

The Scottish Mediation Network will not actively identify mediators who meet the standards for Advanced Mediator. Applications to be listed as an Advanced Mediator should be addressed via email to admin @scottishmediation .org .uk. You may be asked for evidence to support this application.

What are the changes in the long term?

Learning and Development Plans and a Competency Framework

“Each mediator should be required to produce an annual Learning and Development Plan which is tagged to the Mediators Competency Framework; and CPD hours must be linked explicitly to the learning and development outcomes in the Learning and Development Plan and to Competencies within the Mediators Competency Framework.”

The Standards Board have authorised the establishment of a short life working group to develop a Mediator Competency Framework. Following development and approval by the Standards Board, the Competency Framework will be used to link to an Annual Learning and Development Plans, which will seek and cover the individual needs of each mediator. The number of required CPD hours remains at a minimum of 12 hours, although the Standards Board reserves the right to review this at a later date.

In order to support practitioners with these changes, the Scottish Mediation Network will continue to offer the following support:

“SMN will provide two types of CPD opportunities for Register Members:-

Share and Learn CPD opportunities – where register members offer free CPD training to other register members on a share and learn basis. In these instances, SMN will only seek to recover the cost of organising the training event (teas/coffees/ lunches/venue costs/ and a minimal cost for staff time).

CPD Events – where SMN is paying a specialist mediator trainer to provide CPD on a cost recovery basis. In these instances SMN will only seek to recover the cost of organising the event (costs as above plus trainer fees and travel expenses).”

There are also some practical changes that whilst not reflected in the new Practice Standards, will affect members of the Register. The Find A Mediator section of the newly created website no longer displays mediators who are not on the Register. Members of the public will only be able to find the details of mediators who are paid members of the Register and who meet the Practice Standards. This is due to the availability of “basic” membership being removed. We still offer free membership to those in full time education or on means tested benefits.

Member log-in to the website no longer permits members to access individual member information once an application for registration has been submitted. However should any changes be required, we can do so at the office. Changes can be made by emailing admin @scottishmediation .org .uk detailing the request. Please allow time for these changes to take place, administrative support in the office is on a part-time basis and membership services is only one small aspect of this role.

The review and new Practice Standards also has implications for mediation training providers; a separate advice note has been produced to accompany this document. Training providers are advised to read the briefing note for training providers to ensure that they are fully informed on the developments taking place.

Who can join the Scottish Mediation Register?

The Scottish Mediation Register is open for both individuals and organisations who meet the Practice Standards to join.

In order for an organisation to join, the organisation must certify that all their mediators are already individual members of the SMR. However for voluntary organisations, this is not necessary.

If you do not meet the necessary standards, but would like to be part of the mediation community in Scotland, then both individuals and organisations can join as members. More information about becoming a member can be found here.

Practice Standards

The Scottish Mediation Network is committed to quality assurance for mediation in Scotland. As a consequence, the Practice Standards are subject to regular review. Current Practice Standards can be found below.

Practice Standards for mediators

(Approved by the Standards Board 25.05.11)

1. Practice Standards for admission of mediators to the Register

1.1 The minimum practice standards for admission of a mediator to the Register cover:

1.1.1 Adequate training from a trainer or team of trainers with appropriate experience

1.1.2 A requirement for sufficient experience

1.1.3 Post-training Continuing Practice Development (CPD) and practice support

1.1.4 Establishing and maintaining a portfolio of evidence

1.1.5 Adherence to an appropriate code of conduct

1.1.6 An appropriate system for addressing concerns and handling complaints

1.1.7 Appropriate Indemnity Insurance

1.1.8 Verification Process

1.1.9 Effect date and transition period for the Practice Standards

1.1.1 Adequate training

Mediators must have satisfactorily completed mediation training. The performance of the mediator during or on completion of mediation training must have been assessed as satisfactory.

The mediation training should include training in:

● Principles and practice of mediation

● Stages in the mediation process

● Ethics and values of mediation

● The legal context of disputes (if any)

● Communication skills useful in mediation

● Negotiation skills and their application

● The effects of conflict and ways of managing it

● Diversity

The mediation training will include not less than 40 hours of tuition and role-play, (with a minimum of 20 of these training hours spent in role play or practical exercise) including a formal assessment. The assessment should include direct observation of practice as a mediator in role play.

The training must be provided by a trainer who has had sufficient training and experience themselves.

Family and Community Mediators must comply with the practice standards set by Relationship Scotland for Family Mediators and the Scottish Community Mediation Network for Community Mediators in relation to initial training.

1.1.2 Sufficient experience

Admission to the Scottish Mediation Register requires completion of initial training and 2 mediations in the past 12 months and/or not less than 6 hours conducting mediations as a principle mediator in the past 12 months.

Admission to the Scottish Mediation Register as an Advanced Mediator requires completion of initial training and 15 and/or not less than 60 hours conducting mediations in the past 12 months as principal mediator or co-mediator in the past 12

months.

Family and Community Mediators must comply with the practice standards set by Relationship Scotland for Family Mediators and the Scottish Community Mediation Network for Community Mediators.

1.1.3 Continuing Practice Development (CPD) and practice support

Mediators are required to plan, undertake and review a minimum of 12 hours of continuing development and support each year. This CPD and practice support may include training, supervision, monitoring, mentoring, shadowing and peer review. The purpose of this CPD and practice support is to offer a framework for mediators to reflect on their practice in a structured way with view to learning and developing their skills.

The Standards Board has the discretion to increase the number of CPD hours required.

Family and Community Mediators must comply with the practice standards set by Relationship Scotland for Family Mediators and the Scottish Community Mediation Network for Community Mediators.

1.1.4 Maintain a portfolio

All Scottish Mediation Registered Mediators are required to establish and maintain a portfolio which can be subject to random checks to ensure that Register requirements are being met.

The portfolio must contain the following:

● Initial Training Certification

● Log of Mediations/Mediation hours undertaken

● Log of CPD hours and CPD certificates

● Certificate of Insurance

● Annual Training and Development Plan

1.1.5 Code of Conduct

As a minimum the mediator shall practice in accordance with the Scottish Mediation Network’s Guidelines for the Practice of Mediation in Scotland being consistent with the European Union Model Code of Conduct for Mediators or such other code that accepts the Scottish Mediation Network Guidelines as a minimum.

1.1.6 A system for addressing concerns

A mediator must have in place a written procedure for addressing concerns and handling complaints and keep written records of any complaints. The Practice Standards Group will set out a fair process for handling concerns which may lead to the removal of a mediator from the Register for failing to meet the practice standards.

All Scottish Mediation Registered Mediators should inform clients that when their own internal complaints handling process has been exhausted, the clients can, if they wish, take a complaint to the Standards Board.

1.1.7 Appropriate Insurance

The mediator must have appropriate insurance in place for the activities that the mediator undertakes.

1.1.8 Verification Process

All Registered Mediators are required to maintain a portfolio of evidence which demonstrates that they meet the Practice Standards required for registration. Each year a random sample of 10 – 15% of Registered Mediators will be asked to produce their portfolio for verification.

1.1.9 Effect date and transition period

The Practice Standards take effect from 1^st June 2011.

Mediators who are members of the Scottish Mediation Register paid before 1^st June 2011 will be deemed as having satisfied the requirements of the Practice Standards for the 2011-2012 membership year.

A transition period of 12 months from 1^st June 2011 will enable mediators to acquire the necessary evidence/build up portfolio to demonstrate that they meet the requirements for admission to the register for further membership years.

Code of Practice for Mediation in Scotland

Code of Practice

Registration Benefits

Professional Recognition and Quality Assurance

Joining the Scottish Mediation Network is professional recognition of the standard of training you have achieved and are committed to maintaining. Being a Registered mediator is a mark of quality assurance to the public. The Scottish Legal Aid Board recognises Scottish Mediation Network Registered Mediators as approved for the purposes of Legal Aid.

Find A Mediator

Registered Mediators can be searched through Find A Mediator on the Scottish Mediation Network website and are eligible to apply for the panel of the Scottish Mediation Helpline.

Opportunities to Share and Learn

Access Initiative and Regional Groups, to share expertise and benefit from others’ experiences, skills and knowledge of mediation and dispute resolution.

Free and Discounted Events

Improve and update your practice skills through participation in free or discounted SMN events, CPD and advance training for mediators, HR specialists, people managers, complaints handlers and anyone who is involved in dispute resolution at an exclusive discounted SMN member rate.

Exclusive Networking

Join and participate in an active community in which you can engage with fellow professionals who supply and purchase mediation services.

Members-Only Resources

Enjoy access to member only resources through our online Library, including many model mediation documents.

Member Discounts

Discounted room hire rates in central Edinburgh location in Relationships Scotland’s building, special discounted rate for insurance through Towergate Professional Risks.

Regular Collaborate Newsletters

Latest news, events, ideas and developments in mediation along with upcoming training and job opportunities.

Advertise Events

Advertise your event or training workshops in our monthly newsletter, Collaborate, with over 2500 downloads, as well as on the Scottish Mediation Network website. We also provide newsflashes on special events, news, jobs and contracts.

Costs of Registering

Registration type	Costs
Individual in full-time education or in receipt of means tested benefits	Free
Individual	£90
Voluntary Organisations	£115
Local Authority/Scottish Public Body *	£150
Other Organisation *	£225

Registration includes membership of the Scottish Mediation Network.

* In order for an organisation to join the Register, the organisation must certify that all their mediators are already individual members of the Register. However for voluntary organisations, this is not necessary.

Terms and Conditions

Terms & Conditions

SMN Amended Articles 1

Join Now

Please ensure that you have read and understood the Terms and Conditions of membership of the Scottish Mediation Network. Please note that membership is included in the cost of Registration.

By completing an application for Registration, you are deemed to have read and accepted the following documents:

SMN Terms and Conditions

SMN Articles of Association

SMN Memorandum of Association

SMN Practice Standards

SMN Code of Practice

Please note that membership is included in the cost of Registration.