• Home
• About Mediation
  • MIAM - Mediation Information Assessment
  • Why Choose Mediation
  • Mediation Step By Step
  • Children In Mediation
  • Mediation On Finances
  • Legal Advice
  • Fees And Public Funding
  • FAQs
  • Meeting Locations
• Children's Services
  • Family Plus
  • Walking On Eggshells
• Training And Workshops
  • For Schools And Professionals
  • For Parents
  • For Children And Young People
  • For You
• Costs
  • Public Funding (Legal Aid)
  • Fees
• What Our Clients Say
• About Us
  • Governance And Trustees
    • Annual Report
  • People At OFM
  • Clients Charter
• Job Vacancies
• Contact Or Request An Appointment
  • Contact OFM
  • Referral Form
  • Office Locations
  • We Will Call You
• Supporting OFM
  • Sponsoring OFM
  • Volunteering for OFM
• News
  • Reviews
  • Newsletters

Clients’ Charter

This sheet sets out the standard of service we aim to give you and how you can let us know when you are not happy. We set the standards after talking to people and looking at the results of questionnaires that are kindly completed by those who have used the service. Most people who use our service will be worried about what to expect. We aim to reduce these worries by giving a courteous, efficient, professional and friendly service.

Telephone

Our telephone lines are open between 9.00am and 5.00pm from Monday to Friday and we aim to answer each call personally. Outside these hours, or when all lines are engaged (or when we have staff training) an answer-machine will take calls. We aim to respond to these calls within one working day. You can expect all our staff to be friendly and courteous and to give you clear and helpful answers to your questions. If they are not able to give you an answer then they will be able to direct you to another source of information. 

Letters And E-mails

We aim to acknowledge letters and e-mails within 5 working days. 

Appointments

We aim to offer initial appointments - whether joint meetings or individual sessions - within 10 working days.  Mediation meetings are arranged to take account of the diaries of both parties: we aim to offer options within 10 working days.

Attending Meetings

When you come to the service you can expect a friendly and polite welcome and a comfortable waiting area. You will be able to wait separately from your ex-partner, unless you wish otherwise.  We aim to start your meeting on time and certainly within a few minutes of the appointed time. If the mediator is delayed for unavoidable reasons you will be kept informed and asked whether you are able to wait. The meeting will finish by the scheduled time unless agreed otherwise. After the meeting is finished you will be able to leave separately if you wish. Unless you are publicly funded you will be asked to pay the fee for the mediation session at the end of the meeting.

After Meetings

A summary letter can be sent, if agreed with the mediator.  We aim to send this within 5 working days.  At the end of the mediation process we aim to send documents outlining proposals (and financial schedules, if appropriate) within 10 working days. 

Comments, Suggestions And Complaints

After you have finished coming to the service a questionnaire will be sent to each of you. We welcome comments, suggestions and complaints because they give us a chance to improve our service. Please talk to the mediator or member of staff concerned, or if you are not comfortable with this, please telephone or write to the Practice Manager. We aim to acknowledge all complaints within 3 working days, and to investigate and respond within 10 further working days. We pay careful attention to all suggestions and are grateful for them.