Meet a parenting coordinator from the Parenting Coordinators’ Alliance
Click a marker on the map below to view information about a Parenting Coordinator in that region.
Claire Molyneux – Mills and Reeve LLP (Cambridge and London)
After qualifying as a family solicitor in 2006, I spent a number of years running a mixed caseload of financial and child law work. Since I really enjoyed helping parents, I gradually phased out my financial work and helped parents who, following separation, encountered difficulties in making arrangements for their children. This included helping parents through difficult, often long-lasting and complex court proceedings, or alternatively and where possible, to reach mutually acceptable arrangements in their children’s best interests without it being necessary to involve the court.
I have helped and advised in cases in which many different challenges present for families, such as when there is an alleged addiction or safety issue, when one parent is alleging the other is isolating their child, advising grandparents or other family members, when one parent has removed a child abroad without the other’s permission, or wishes to take a holiday or move abroad permanently.
More recently, I qualified both as a mediator and parenting coordinator, which means I am able to work with both parents to make or implement arrangements for the care of their children. I have developed skills that assist parents to focus on the bigger picture, develop respect for one another as parents (as opposed to former romantic partners) and to build a working partnership that enables them to raise their children in a way that their children will ultimately respect and be grateful for when they look back in their own adulthood. It isn’t always easy to do this, but it is possible for most parents if they are both willing to invest the time and work to move forward together constructively. Part-time, I am also my legal team’s child law professional support lawyer, which means that – in true anorak style – I am able to read all the court judgments that are published in this area and keep completely up to date with the approach of the family court!
If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact me here: https://www.mills-reeve.com/people/claire-molyneux, by telephoning +(44)(0) 3443 276260 or emailing: claire.molyneux@mills-reeve.com.
Karen Barham – Moore Barlow LLP (Surrey)
I describe myself as a peacemaker and a deal broker. I joined Moore Barlow LLP (formerly Barlow Robbins LLP) in 2006 bringing considerable knowledge and experience as a family lawyer, having specialised in this area for over 30 years. I practise exclusively as a mediator and parenting coordinator assisting couples and families when relationships break down. I grasp the issues quickly and have a high success rate. I am experienced in making arrangements for children and resolving financial aspects. Also qualified in Child Inclusive Mediation (CIM) I am qualified to meet separately with children to ascertain their thoughts and views thereby giving them an opportunity to have a voice.
I have served as a co-director of the Family Mediation Council and Resolution. In 2016 I was awarded the Resolution John Cornwell award ‘in recognition of outstanding work to support separating families’.
Many families can be assisted to find solutions in out of court processes including mediation, collaborative law, early neutral evaluation, private FDRs and arbitration. Accordingly I have pioneered The Surrey Initiative.
I am divorced with a son at university. Football is my big passion. I am involved in grassroots youth football as child welfare officer at Milford Pumas Youth FC and follow QPR and England home and away.
If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact me here: https://www.moorebarlow.com/people/karen-barham/, by telephoning 07774 495963 or emailing: karen.barham@moorebarlow.com.
Dominic Raeside – FLiP, London
Dominic is one of the five principals who founded Family Law in Partnership in 1995. As Head of Mediation, Dominic holds the strong belief that whilst separation and divorce is often a difficult and painful transition, it does not have to destroy a family.
Dominic’s practice is focused on helping couples reach a consensus about their future as it relates to their children, finances and housing. Dominic mediates both domestic and cross border family disputes including international child abduction, access and custody cases. Having worked for many years in the Courts advising the judiciary in contested children’s matters and previously having worked in the field of adult psychiatry, Dominic has a range of skills, knowledge and experience which he uses to help his clients to reach agreement. His work has earned Dominic a reputation as one of the most experienced and respected mediators in the country – many of his mediation clients are referred to him by the top family lawyers in the country.
Dominic is ranked as a leading family mediator by The Legal 500 UK 2020 which comments that he is “an outstanding mediator” and notes “Dominic Raeside is one of the “go-to” mediators in London, if not in England and Wales, for high-conflict mediation clients. He has a huge armoury of mediation skills which can deal with the most complex relationship breakdowns and children issues’”. Previous editions of The Legal 500 UK have described Dominic as “calm and constructive….he is immensely experienced” and “at the top of his game; he manages to put people at ease, and has a way of unblocking even the most intractable disputes“. The 2016 edition notes that he is “very effective for tricky children disputes” while the 2019 edition notes that Dominic can “work magic – almost like pull a rabbit out of a hat and get terrific results“….he “can usually crack even the hardest of cases“. Dominic was named Family Law Dispute Resolution Practitioner of the Year 2015.
In addition to his work as a Mediator, Dominic is a UKCP registered family and systemic psychotherapist and sees clients in conjunction with his lawyer colleagues where he offers consultation on the child related, emotional and psychological aspects of divorce and separation. In 2013 Dominic was appointed to the Family Justice Council for a five year term. As well as being the Chief Assessor for the Family Mediation Council (2002-2019), Dominic is also involved in training mediators both in the UK and internationally. He was the mediator member of the Pensions Advisory Group and a member of the Family Mediation Task Force which made recommendations to improve the family mediation services in England and Wales. He was a member of the Ministry of Justice’s Voice of the Child Advisory Group. Dominic is also a member of the MiKK pool of qualified cross border family mediators and a member of the Cross Border Family Mediators Network. In 2019 Dominic qualified as a Parenting Coordinator to use his skills and experience in this developing role.
To contact Dominic, visit https://flip.co.uk/person/dominic-raeside/, email dr@flip.co.uk or telephone: +(0)20 7420 5000
Claire Webb – Mediation Now
Claire, a solicitor for over 20 years, is the Mediator member of the Family Justice Council and believes in communication above anything else.
She is Member of Law Society Family Panel, is a Family and Civil Mediator and a Collaborative Lawyer (Resolution trained). Claire has achieved Accreditation through Resolution as a Specialist Family Lawyer and has a large following of clients in the south of England.
As a trained Child Inclusive Mediator, Claire believes strongly in the voice of the child and contributed to the Voice of the Child report. Claire acts a supporter to other mediators as their Professional Practice Consultant and is also a 1-2-1 peer mentor for Resolution. Claire feels the role of Parenting Co-ordinator pulls all of her skills together, as it enables couples who remain in conflict after their case has closed to have a process enabling them to co-parent more effectively in the future by reducing conflict. Claire is currently training to be a supervisor for those in the helping professions.
If you would like to contact Claire, click here.
Frances Place – Progressive Mediation Ltd
I am a qualified and experienced specialist family solicitor and mediator. I qualified as a solicitor in 1982 and as a mediator in 1996. I am a trained and qualified parenting coordinator. In the UK this is a relatively new service. Parenting coordination has been well established in other jurisdictions for many years, helping many parents overcome entrenched and damaging conflicts following separation in their children’s interests.
I work full time as a mediator and parenting coordinator in my own company, Progressive Mediation Ltd with my husband.
From my experience as a solicitor and mediator I have seen the devastating effect that continuing conflict between couples after separation has on their children. It is clear that frequently parents have their children’s best interests at heart but it is not always possible for parents to disentangle themselves from the emotions following the breakdown of a relationship and develop a constructive parenting relationship as separated parents. Mediation is useful but it is relatively short term work; for parents in high conflict parenting coordination can help provide a longer term solution. We see parents who want what’s best for their children, often know what’s best for their children but don’t know how to overcome their entrenched conflict.
A Testimonial from a client:
‘Frances was the mediator for my ex-husband and I during the difficult time establishing arrangements for our child following separation.
During our sessions Frances has listened, guided and offered realistic information and support which has helped us agree on our arrangements.
Prior to mediation we were prepared to go to the courts, emotions were very high and incredibly stressful and we were both concerned about the impact this was having on our child as well as ourselves. Six months later, at the end of our mediation we have a fair, amicable arrangement in place, we are communicating better and we have a mutual understanding that we can go back to mediation at any point in the future if we need to.’
You can contact me on 07889 039393 or at frances@progressive-mediation.co.uk www.progressive-mediation.co.uk. I am based in the south west, but can travel.
Sarah Smith – Sarah Smith Mediation Services
Sarah has worked in family law for over twenty years; specialising in disputes concerning children, divorce/separation and related financial arrangements. Sarah is a member of Resolution and the Family Mediators Association. After qualifying as a lawyer in 1996, she also became qualified as a Collaborative Lawyer in 2007. Her specialisms and experience have been recognised by membership of the Law Society’s Family Panel, Accredited Specialist Status from Resolution and Accredited Family Mediator with the Family Mediation Council. She is designated an Eminent Practitioner by the legal industry’s guide to the top law firms, Chambers and Partners.
In 2019, Sarah became one of the first 10 people in the UK to qualify as a Parenting Coordinator. This very much builds on Sarah’s legal and mediation practice to date; an approach which provides an alternative to court and so a better way for children where there has been long term conflict.
Sarah works with couples to sort long term arrangements for them and their children post-separation. She helps them craft Parenting Plans that work and is well known for using technology to assist. She is well connected and has a keen interest in psychology – so is able to refer on to other professionals as needed and has a very holistic practice. She is qualified to include children in her mediation or parenting co-ordination work; to have direct consultations with children when it will help for their voices to be heard.
“Divorce needn’t be a disaster. Separation isn’t just an end, but a beginning of something new. People survive and indeed thrive in new circumstances, providing communication is solid and the conflicts (which will arise) are resolved. My greatest joy in my work is helping people move from a rubbish place which occupies too much headspace to a new and brighter future. That is there; for you, for your family -if you want it.”
To contact Sarah, visit https://www.sarahsmithmediationservices.com or email info@sarahsmithmediationservices.com or telephone 07595 650223.
Rebecca Hawkins
I have been a family lawyer since 1999. I am committed to providing a high quality professional service and offer a sympathetic and approachable attitude to resolving problems during what are usually emotional and stressful times. It is vital that clients receive clear information, in plain English, as to the options available. Wherever possible, I do my best to resolve my cases without having to recommend a client uses the court process. I believe that this is the best outcome for a family, and that court proceedings should only be a matter of last resort. I take this into account when helping my clients negotiate settlements, and will always try and promote what is best for particular client’s circumstances.
I am a qualified Resolution mediator with Mediation Now with offices in the south of England. Mediation is designed to help families who are experiencing a trauma or disagreement to talk things through, and to reach an agreement that works for them. Mediators are trained to help couples to reach agreement about the best arrangements for their future. This may be about how the children are cared for, or how finances are organised. It helps people to make informed decisions, maintain control over the process and keep costs down, avoiding expensive court proceedings. I firmly believe that mediation can be a better solution and with time, I hope that it will be seen as the norm for resolving family disputes. As part of my mediation service I am qualified and trained to work directly with children, to enable them to have a voice within any adult proceedings. We offer legally aided mediation.
Specialties: Specialist Family Lawyer, Financial cases, cases involving children, Mediation, Legally aided mediation, Communication skills, Negotiating settlements, Hybrid Mediator, Parenting Coordinator, Child Consultant, Family Law Supervisor.