Who we are

Our website address is: https://nationalfamilymediationservice.co.uk which is a trading style of AMS Mediation Services Ltd.

AMS Mediation Services Ltd (“we”, “our”, “us”), treats your privacy and data security with the utmost importance. This policy outlines how we use, store, and share your personal information, as well as how you can raise data and service complaints. We are committed to upholding the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Information we may collect:

• Personal Information: Name, contact details, and where relevant, home address, date of birth, national insurance number, ethnicity, health and disability information, and financial details, if provided by you directly.
• Service Information: Details about your mediation case or inquiry.
• Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device information, and website usage data. We only collect additional personal data via our website through the “Contact us” form.
• Communication Records: Correspondence via email, phone, or contact forms.

Information we may store:

1. We only retain relevant information needed for a case.
2. Such information is held in our client database and our Mediators own records.
3. All information gathered is considered relevant, adequate and limited to what is necessary.
4. Details may also be recorded if you are referred to in mediation correspondence, and information shared with your Mediator during the process is retained by them. The information we retain is full name and contact details. However, we will only retain, date of birth, national insurance number, ethnicity, health & disability information, and financial information, if collected directly from you.
5. All information collected by us or the Mediators we work with is recorded in the strictest confidence. Mediators do not share information with external third parties without your prior consent, unless expressly directed to do so by a court or if we have urgent safeguarding concerns or believe a crime is being committed.

Data Retention

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Your data is stored securely and retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.

1. General emails not relating to your case are deleted after 3 months. Emails specifically relating to your case are held securely on our private system and are permanently deleted in line with our retention policy depending on your funding type. Calls to and from us are recorded on our telephone system solely for training and monitoring purposes. Your personal information is not logged, and recordings are not stored to your case nor referred to during your case. Recordings are deleted after 3 months.
   1. If mediation has commenced, your details will be kept securely for two years once the case concludes, with digital copies being retained for a total of six years; if mediation does not commence, your information will only be stored for 12 months after the case is closed. All data is securely and permanently destroyed
   1. We do not need specific consent to retain data about you as we have a ‘legitimate interest’ under GDPR in processing it
   1. If a formal complaint made against a Mediator is escalated, then private and confidential notes from the MIAMs and joint meetings might be shared with the Family Mediation Council (FMC), in order for them to investigate and respond in their role as regulator
   1. We will not contact you for sales or marketing purposes, nor will we pass your details to third party companies for such purposes
   1. We will not use your data for automated decision-making including profiling

Data Sharing

We may share your information with mediators and partners within our network to assist with delivering our services. These parties are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Cookies

Our website may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse website traffic. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.

Your Rights:

• You can ask to see what data we hold about you by making a Subject Access Request. We ask that all such requests are clearly marked “Subject Access Request” and contain a comprehensive list of what personal data you want, including any details, relevant dates, or search criteria that will help to identify what you want; and how you would like to receive the information (eg by email or letter). We reserve the right to charge an admin fee if we have reason to believe your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive. This will be in line with the guidance set out by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and based on the administrative costs incurred in dealing with the request. We will respond to the request within a calendar month (with limited exceptions as per the ICO’s guidance
• If the data we hold is incorrect or incomplete, you can ask for this to be rectified at any time
• You have the right
• To be informed
• To have access to the data
• For the data held to be rectified
• Of erasure
• To restrict processing
• To data portability
• To object
• Not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling

Website

We do not collect personal data from our website other than via our “Contact us” form and appointment requests. We may store cookies on your device. These allow us to count the number of visitors and track site usage, and for third party analytics. If you wish to restrict or block the cookies set when visiting our website, you can do this through your browser settings.

Our website contains links to other sites for information purposes only. This policy only applies to our website, and we ask that you check the policies of other sites that you visit. We accept no responsibility for the operation, content or policies of other websites

Data Processing Complaints

We are registered as a Data Controller, our ICO registration number is ZB376258.If you would like to make a complaint in relation to the way we process your personal information, please click on the “back” button in your web browser, and submit a “Contact Me” form, clearly stating that you wish to make a privacy/GDPR complaint. This will allow us to swiftly ensure your complaint is dealt with by the correct area of the business. We will endeavour to resolve any issues, however if we are unable to do so to your satisfaction, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk, or by telephoning 0303 123 1113.

Service Complaints Policy

1. Our Commitment

The AMS Mediation Services Ltd network is dedicated to providing excellent service. We acknowledge that there may be occasions when our service does not meet your expectations. All complaints are taken seriously, and we strive to resolve them promptly and fairly.

2. How to Make a Complaint

You can submit a complaint using any of the following methods:

• Email: Send your complaint to our team using the email address on the site
• Contact Form: Use our online contact form with “Complaint” as the subject
• Post: Write to us at our registered office address
• Phone: Call us during business hours

Wherever possible please email your concerns as this ensures we capture all elements of your dissatisfaction.

3. What to Include

To help us address your complaint effectively, please provide:

• Your full name and contact details, including case reference number if applicable
• Details of the service, interaction, or mediator you are complaining about
• A clear description of the issue and why you are dissatisfied
• Any relevant dates, reference numbers, or documentation
• Your desired resolution

4. Our Response Process

Stage 1 – Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your complaint within 10 working days of receipt and confirm who will investigate and respond to you.

Stage 2 – Allocation:

If your complaint is about your mediator:

• If your complaint is about your mediator and concerns breaches of The Family Mediation Council’s (FMC) Codes of Practice or Standards Framework Part 5, it must relate to actions within the last 3 months before the complaint is received in writing. If it relates to the conduct of mediation overall, the 3-month period begins from the last mediation session.
• Your complaint will be allocated to your mediator for a response, with assistance from their Supervisor/PPC. If applicable, the other party to the mediation will be informed that a complaint has been received and that the complaints procedure has commenced. Mediation sessions may be paused during the investigation.

If your complaint is about our general service and not mediation:

• If your complaint concerns the administration of your case or any other aspect of our service outside of mediation, it will be passed to the relevant office manager for an initial response.

Stage 3 – Investigation: We will thoroughly investigate your complaint, which may include reviewing records and consulting relevant staff. We may ask you for additional information to assist our investigation.

Stage 5 – Resolution: We aim to provide a full response within 10 working days from the end of the acknowledgement period. If more time is required, we will keep you informed of our progress. Where appropriate, we may offer mediation to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.

Stage 6 – Escalation: If you are not satisfied with our initial response, you may request escalation to senior management for a final review. Senior management will review the entire file and complaint correspondence and aim to provide a final response within an additional 10 days from receipt of your escalation request. If more time is needed, we will notify you with an explanation and a revised response date.

Stage 7– External Resolution:

• If your complaint concerns your mediator and senior management cannot resolve it, or it is inappropriate for them to do so, and the complaint alleges breaches of the FMC Professional Standards (e.g., Code of Practice, PPC Code of Practice, FMC Standards Framework), you may refer it to the Family Mediation Standard’s Board (FMSB) within 3 months.
  • Appeals
    • 9. The complaints process includes the potential for an appeal against the FMSB complaints panel’s decision.
      • a. You or your Mediator may appeal on the following grounds:
        • i. That the FMSB complaints panel did not take into account relevant evidence or did not give sufficient weight to the evidence.
        • ii. That the correct process was not followed by the FMSB complaints panel.
      • b. A mediator may also appeal on the grounds that any disciplinary action taken was not in proportion to the nature of the misconduct.
      • c. Where an appeal against an unsuccessful complaint is upheld (meaning the original complaint is upheld). The appeals panel may take disciplinary action.
      • d. Where an appeal against a disciplinary decision is made, the Appeals Panel may consider taking disciplinary measures.
      • e. A decision by the Appeals Panel may be the same as or different to that of reached by the Complaints Panel.
• There is no external resolution process for service complaints unless it relates to breaches of your GDPR. Please refer to our GDPR Complaints Policy for further information.

5. Vexatious Complaints

Due to the nature of our service, you may sometimes feel aggrieved by our contact or the outcome of the sessions. However, we will not investigate complaints that are deemed vexatious or of a purely personal nature.

Complaints will be considered vexatious if:

• Their purpose appears to be to intimidate, disturb, disrupt, or unduly or unfairly pressure the mediator or the FMSB
• They are persistent/repetitive, repeating the same or similar complaints already investigated
• They are clearly unfounded and unsupported by evidence
• They are irrelevant and relate to matters other than mediation
• Abusive or offensive language is used

Complaints are considered of a purely personal nature if:

• They are discriminatory or focus on the personal attributes or circumstances of a mediator rather than their actions as a mediator

5. Confidentiality

All complaints are treated confidentially and will only be shared with staff members who need to be involved in the investigation and resolution process.

6. Learning from Complaints

We view complaints as valuable feedback that helps us improve our services. We regularly review complaints to identify patterns and make necessary improvements to our processes and training.

7. Questions About These Policies?

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or Complaints Policy, or if you wish to exercise your data protection rights or submit a complaint, please don’t hesitate to contact us.