Mediators are not legal advisers, nor are we relationship counsellors. However, what we do do, is provide information and ‘signpost’ our clients to local services that can offer help and support, answering any questions you may have about a wide range of topics.
As part of Simply Mediation’s Community Connections, I went along to Blenheim Children’s Centre in Leigh On Sea, one of 9 Children’s Centres across Southend, to find out what kind of services and support are on offer to our local families.
What I found was a bright, welcoming, child friendly space, with tables and chairs and a counter serving food, snacks and hot drinks.
The centre provides an enormous service programme with activities such as baby massage, breast feeding support, Dads’ Time, first aid courses and parenting classes.
Classes such as baby massage would make an ideal activity for Mums or Dads who want to spend quality time, bonding with their little ones, in a fun and safe environment.
The centre also offer a flexible facility for separated parents of babies or young children who may be in the early stages of establishing a contact pattern. Both parents can meet in a neutral environment, one parent can sit and have coffee, whilst the other spends time in the centre playing with their child and enjoying some quality time together.
Of particular interest to me was the Separated and Separating Parents course. The course is designed for parents who are going through a difficult and stressful time to help them manage the potential conflict, maintain positive communication and limit the negative impact on their children. It’s a four week course, with the next one due to start in June. They even offer crèche places if booked in advance!
As a mediator I was delighted to see this type of programme on offer. Research shows that divorcing and separating parents who are able to resolve their issues through mediation, find the process less protracted and much less stressful than going to court which, most importantly, has the benefit of less emotional impact on the children in the family.
For more information on the huge range of services on offer, you can visit their website at