Privacy Policy & Concerns and Complaints Procedure
Updated: February 2022
Clare Madeline Mediation is a bespoke family mediation and divorce consultancy service for couples who are separating or divorcing and wish to resolve their financial and/or children matters with the assistance of an independent mediator.
Your privacy is very important. I will only use the personal information you provide lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Clare Madeline Mediation is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioners Office under registration number A8284478.
I commit to only collecting and using your personal information required to provide you with family mediation services, divorce consultancy services or professional practice consultancy services you have requested from me and to satisfy my internal identification procedures to make sure we have verified your identity when you initially request our services. I will only use your personal information for this purpose of carrying out the work you have requested from us and to comply with our regulatory body requirements. I do not use your personal information for marketing or provide your personal information to any third party and we will not contact you once my involvement has ended and you no longer need my services.
This Privacy Policy applies to information I collect when you or your solicitor makes a referral to us, when you contact me by telephone and give me your contact information, you complete the mediation preliminary information form, you complete the mediation referral form on my website, you provide me with your financial documentation and information for the purposes of any financial mediation, when you contact me by e-mail at either of my e-mail addresses (clare@claremadelinemediation.co.uk or info@claremadelinemediation.co.uk) or otherwise make contact with me.
I will hold any mediation documentation prepared by me in your case in a secure office at the registered address of Clare Madeline Mediation. I will only retain information about you for as long as is necessary in relation to your mediation. This means that any notes or personal information will be securely destroyed by me 6 months after the conclusion of your mediation. I will, however, retain copies of any Memorandum of Understanding and Open Financial Summary for 5 years, after which time, they will be securely destroyed.
I do not use your personal information for profiling or marketing of any sort or to e-mail you anything which is not relevant to the provision of my family mediation service.
For the purpose of your mediation, I will keep any information that you provide securely and will not share it without your individual permission. However, in the event of any complaint that is referred to the Family Mediation Standards Board, I may release any information or your file for the purposes of resolving any complaint.
My quality assurance standards also require monitoring of my mediation files. From time to time, my external practice consultant may have sight of your files, but access is strictly controlled and any summaries may be reviewed on a strictly confidential basis and that anonymised details about your case may be used for training purposes.
I may also keep data for research and statistical purposes but on the understanding that if used any information or details about you have been removed so that you cannot be personally identified.
Clare Madeline Mediation may change this privacy policy from time to time by posting the updated version on this website. Please review this page regularly to stay informed and make sure you are happy with any changes. If a material change to this privacy policy is made, I will notify you by e-mail or by post, depending on your chosen method of communication with me.
In order for you to use Clare Madeline Mediation services you must accept all of the terms of this Privacy Policy.
What information do I collect about you?
It is unlikely that you will be required to provide me with your personal information when visiting my website and reviewing my services. However, you may choose to provide me with your personal information on some pages of my website, such as on completion of an enquiry form. By submitting your personal information, you consent to my use of the information as set out in this privacy policy.
I require certain information to provide my services to you. For example, if you are mediating regarding financial matters, I will ask you to complete a financial statement and provide supporting financial documentation. You control the personal information you share. You can access this information at any time.
I collect information about you when you enquire regarding my family mediation services and instruct me to provide you with family mediation, divorce consultancy or professional practice consultancy services. I also collect information when you voluntarily offer feedback regarding my services. Website usage information is collected using cookies.
You may provide me with payment information, including your credit or debit card number, card expiration date, CVV code and billing address in order to pay for my services. I will not store this information under any circumstances. Any information will be confidentially destroyed once payment has been taken.
We may receive information about you from third parties, such as your solicitor or financial advisor.
How will I use the information about you?
I collect information about you to process your mediation referral, manage your mediation, produce documentation required for your mediation to include an Open Financial Statement, Parenting Plan and a Memorandum of Understanding and for the purpose of review from time to time by my external Professional Practice Consultant or as required by my professional body Resolution or the Family Mediation Standards Board. In the limited circumstances where I disclose your personal information, I do so because it is necessary to operate my services or because it is required from my professional body.
I will only use your personal information to provide you with the services you have requested from me. I do not use your personal information to contact you about any other services I think may be of interest to you and I do not pass on your personal information to any third parties. I do not share your personal information for marketing purposes without your express agreement provided in writing.
In providing you with family mediation or divorce consultancy services, I may send your personal details to professional advisors such as financial advisors, actuaries, pension advisors, family consultants and counsellors but only with your express agreement.
Protection of your personal information
Unfortunately, the transmission of information through the internet is not completely secure. Although I will do my best to protect your personal information, I cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to my website. Any transmission is at your own risk. Once I have received your information, I will use strict procedures to try to prevent any unauthorised access.
Marketing
I offer a bespoke, confidential family mediation, divorce consultancy, professional practice service. I do not send you information about other services which may be of interest to you as it is not my practice to send out any form of marketing to you during or after you have used my services. You will not therefore be contacted at any time for marketing purposes, save for a request for feedback at the conclusion of my work which you can provide voluntarily on an anonymous basis.
Access to your information
You have the right to request a copy of the information that I hold about you. If you would like a copy of some or all of your personal information, please e-mail me at clare@claremadelinemediation or contact me by phone on 07944 108298. I may make a small charge for this service to cover my costs.
Confidentiality
I will keep your personal information confidential, except to the extent that I am compelled to disclose it by law, for example where fraud or other crime is involved, or to comply with an instruction of a regulatory body, such as but not limited to Resolution, the Law Society, the Family Mediation Standards Board or the Family Mediation Council. From time to time, I may be called upon to demonstrate maintenance of certain professional standards, to satisfy my auditors and to comply with regulations in relation to money laundering or other statutory requirements. If you do not consent to the production of your details for this purpose only as an exception to our duty of confidentiality, please let me know by contacting me by phone on 07944 108298 or by e-mail at clare@claremadelinemediation.co.uk
Cookies
Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information. This information is used to track visitor use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity.
For further information visit www.aboutcookies.org.uk or www.allaboutcookies.org.
You can set your browser not to accept cookies and the above websites tell you how to remove cookies from your browser. However, in a few cases some of our website features may not function as a result.
Other websites
Our website contains links to other websites. This privacy policy only applies to this website so when you link to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.
Changes to our privacy policy
I keep this privacy policy under regular review and we will place any updates on this web page. This privacy policy was last updated on 22nd February 2022.
Concerns and Complaints
I am passionate about the work I do and value each and every client who chooses to work with me. Family mediation can often be emotionally fraught. I hope that I will work with you as a mediator in a manner that is helpful and satisfactory to you both. I am committed to providing the best possible service to each and every client.
My concerns and complaints procedure
When something goes wrong, I ask that you tell me about it as soon as possible. If I am unable to resolve this with you directly in the spirit of the mediation process, please put your concerns or complaint in writing to me.
I will send you a written confirmation acknowledging your complaint within 7 working days. I may ask you to confirm or explain further your complaint. I will record your complaint in my central register and will discuss this with my firms external practice supervisor.
I will respond to your complaint fully within 21 days of sending my acknowledgment to you. At this time I will write to you confirming my final position on your complaint and explaining my reasons. If you remain dissatisfied I may suggest we mediate the issue where you and I both agree.
If these processes do not resolve your complaint, you can ask the Family Mediation Standards Board to consider the complaint, if their criteria is met (any complaint relating to a breach of the FMC’s Code of Practice or Standards Framework that occurred within three months from the last mediation session). You can see the Family Mediation Standards Board complaints policy at https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/complaints-about-mediators/.
If I have to change any of these timescales above, I will let you know and explain why.
How to contact me
Please contact me if you have any questions about the privacy policy or complaints procedure or information I hold about you:-
- By e-mail at clare@claremadelinemediation.co.uk
- By telephone at 07944 108298