Terms & Policies | Divorce Services

Terms and conditions

Terms approved 1/8/24

Next review 1/8/25

Terms and Conditions for Amy Dixon Coaching, acting as a McKenzie Friend Services

1. General Overview

1.1 These Terms and Conditions govern the provision of McKenzie Friend services to litigants in person engaging with family court matters.
1.2 By booking a service, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.

2. Bookings

2.1 All bookings must be made exclusively through our website.
2.2 Once an appointment or hearing date is booked, no refunds will be issued.
2.3 Requests to exchange the date or time of an appointment may be considered, subject to availability. Changes cannot be guaranteed.

3. Role of a McKenzie Friend

3.1 A McKenzie Friend's role is to assist the litigant in person by providing moral support, taking notes, helping with case papers, and offering guidance on court procedures.
3.2 A McKenzie Friend is not a qualified legal professional and cannot provide legal advice.
3.3 A McKenzie Friend cannot speak on your behalf in court (advocate) or sign documents on your behalf.
3.4 The responsibility for decisions in your case remains solely with you as the litigant in person.

4. Client Responsibilities

4.1 You are responsible for providing accurate and complete information to your McKenzie Friend.
4.2 It is your responsibility to comply with all court rules and deadlines.

5. Limitations of Liability

5.1 While every effort will be made to provide accurate and helpful support, the McKenzie Friend is not liable for the outcome of your case or any decisions made by the court.
5.2 The McKenzie Friend is not liable for any losses or damages arising from the use of the service.

6. Confidentiality

6.1 All information shared with the McKenzie Friend will be treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of assisting in your case.
6.2 Confidentiality may be breached only if required by law.

7. Amendments to Terms

7.1 These Terms and Conditions may be updated periodically. Any changes will be posted on the website. Continued use of the service constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

8. Governing Law

8.1 These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in these jurisdictions.

By engaging the services of a McKenzie Friend, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1st July 2024

At Amy Dixon Coaching ("we", "our", or "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled securely and in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our family mediation services within England and Wales.

1. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following types of personal data:

Personal Identification Information: Name, address, telephone number, email address, and other contact information.
Mediation Information: Details relevant to family mediation, including information about family members, legal disputes, and personal circumstances necessary for the mediation process.
Payment Information: Billing details, bank account numbers, and transaction data for processing payments.
Website Usage Information: Information about your interactions with our website, including IP address, browser type, and cookies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Provide Mediation Services: Facilitate family mediation sessions and manage the mediation process, including communications between parties.
Legal Compliance: Fulfil our legal obligations under family law or as required by courts or other authorities.
Communication: Respond to your inquiries, provide updates about your case, and manage any requests or feedback.
Payments: Process payments for services rendered and send invoices.
Improvement of Services: Analyse usage of our website and services to improve functionality and customer experience.

3. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

Consent: When you provide your personal data for mediation services, we obtain your explicit consent to process the data as required for mediation.
Contractual Necessity: We process data necessary for the performance of our contract with you.
Legal Obligations: In some cases, we are required to process your data to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, such as reporting to courts or legal authorities.

4. How We Share Your Information

We only share your personal information under specific circumstances:

With Mediation Professionals: Data may be shared with accredited family mediators involved in your case.
With Legal Authorities: We may share your personal data with legal professionals, courts, or other authorities if required by law or to comply with legal obligations.
Third-Party Service Providers: We may share data with service providers, such as IT support, hosting, or payment processors, to facilitate our services.
In Case of Business Transfers: If our business undergoes a merger, acquisition, or other transfer of assets, your personal data may be part of the transferred assets.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. We implement secure storage and transmission protocols, and access to your data is restricted to authorized personnel.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data.

6. Your Data Rights

You have the following rights under the GDPR concerning your personal data:

Access: You can request access to your personal data and obtain a copy of the information we hold about you.
Correction: You may request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure: You can ask for the deletion of your personal data, subject to legal obligations.
Data Portability: You may request the transfer of your data to another service provider.
Object/Restrict Processing: You may object to or request restrictions on the processing of your personal data.
Withdraw Consent: If we rely on your consent for processing, you can withdraw this consent at any time.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details provided below.

7. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which we collected it, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies to improve your experience and track usage patterns. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings, but this may affect the functionality of our website.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for adults involved in family mediation. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will take steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Any changes will be posted on our website, and the "Effective Date" will be updated accordingly.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Email: amy@amydixoncoaching.co.uk

Complaints Procedure

We hope that you will have no cause to complain. However, should you be unhappy with the service you receive, we would wish to know and see if we can put it right.

If your complaint is in relation to mediation please follow the below proceedure.

If your complaint is in relation to coaching and McKenzie Friend work please email your complaint to amy@amydixoncoaching.co.uk

Mediation complaints

We adhere to the Family Mediation Council (FMC) and the Family Mediation Standards Board (FMSB) advice and recommendations.

We will review and respond fully to any complaint from a client, a former client or a qualifying third party (see below) where you believe we have breached Family Mediation Council’s Codes of Practice or Standards Framework within the last three months. In relation to any complaint, the date will run from the last mediation session.

It is part of our privacy policy and our agreement to mediate that any information held about you and the mediation process can be shared with FMC and / or the FMSB to allow them to properly investigate the matter.

Link to the FMC’s Code of Practice

https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/us/code-practice/

How to complain

Please raise the issue in mediation if possible, so your mediator(s) can deal with the problem straight away.

You can also raise a complaint after mediation. Simply email us, telling us about your experience. All complaints should be addressed to Amy Dixon. email: info@family-mediation-online.co.uk or amy@amydixoncoaching.co.uk.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 10 working days.

A full review will then be undertaken and the mediator concerned will explain their understanding of the situation and you will receive a full response within 28 working days.

Should you wish, the complaint can be dealt via mediation with an external mediator if we also agree that to be a suitable way forward. We can approach the FMC for them to recommend an appropriate mediator.

In the event you are still unhappy and wish to take your complaint further, you contact the Family Mediation Standards Board (FMSB) to consider your complaint.

To do this, please contact the FMSB: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/complaints-about-mediators/

FMSB - What type of complaints will be considered?

The FMSB will consider complaints that concern breaches of the FMC’s professional standards. The professional standards are set out in the FMC’s Code of Practice, the FMC’s Code of Practice for Professional Practice Consultants and the FMC’s Manual of Professional Standards and Self-Regulatory Framework.

FMSB - How can the complaint be made?

A complaint can be made to the FMSB by completing our complaints form which you can download here. Once completed, please send this form and any supporting documents to complaints@familymediationcouncil.org.uk

If you struggle to complete the form, you can ask someone to help you to do this or phone the FMC office on 01707 594055 between 9am – 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Qualifying Third Parties

The following qualify as third parties who can make a complaint against a mediator:

A prospective client who has been directly affected by a mediator’s professional behaviour;

A person who has been invited to participate in a mediation process, for example another professional who attends a mediation.

For the avoidance of doubt, it is common for a mediator to contact a potential mediation participant after seeing the other potential mediation participant. Complaints about a mediator making contact with a potential participant do not therefore need to be investigated by mediators and will not be accepted by the FMSB.

Likewise, mediators may sign court forms to say one person has attended a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) without notifying a potential second mediation participant or inviting them to attend MIAM themselves. Complaints about a mediator not making contact with a potential participant do not therefore need to be investigated by mediators and will not be accepted by the FMSB.

Please note that neither mediators nor the FMSB will be able to disclose any information to you that is confidential between the mediator and the mediation participant(s). It is therefore normal that as a third party, you will only receive a limited amount of information in response to your complaint, even in circumstances where it is considered by the FMSB.

Adult Safeguarding Policy

Policy approved 1/8/24
Next review 1/8/25

Introduction
Amy Dixon Coaching supplies counselling style sessions, online and face to face with individual
clients suffering stress and anxiety linked to relationships or divorce.
The sessions generally are empowering and self-esteem building with a focus on moving forward
and gaining clarity in their lives post relationship breakdown.
Amy Dixon Coaching is committed to Safeguarding Adults in line with national
legislation and relevant national and local guidelines.
We will safeguard adults by ensuring that our activities are delivered in a way
which keeps all adults safe.
Amy Dixon Coaching is committed to creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm
to adults which necessitates: the recognition of adults who may be at risk and the
circumstances which may increase risk; knowing how adult abuse, exploitation or
neglect manifests itself; and being willing to report safeguarding concerns.
This extends to recognising and reporting harm experienced anywhere, including
within our activities, within other organised community or voluntary activities, in
the community, in the person’s own home and in any care setting.
[Insert name of organisation] is committed to best safeguarding practice and to
uphold the rights of all adults to live a life free from harm from abuse, exploitation
and neglect.

Policy Statement

Amy Dixon Coaching believes everyone has the right to live free from abuse or
neglect regardless of age, ability or disability, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin,
sexual orientation, marital or gender status.
Amy Dixon Coaching is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and
positive environment and an open, listening culture where people feel able to
share concerns without fear of retribution.
Amy Dixon Coaching acknowledges that safeguarding is everybody’s
responsibility and is committed to prevent abuse and neglect through
safeguarding the welfare of all adults involved.
Amy Dixon Coaching recognises that health, well-being, ability, disability and
need for care and support can affect a person’s resilience. We recognise that
some people experience barriers, for example, to communication in raising
concerns or seeking help. We recognise that these factors can vary at different
points in people’s lives.
Amy Dixon Coaching recognises that there is a legal framework within which
sports need to work to safeguard adults who have needs for care and support
and for protecting those who are unable to take action to protect themselves and
will act in accordance with the relevant safeguarding adult legislation and with
local statutory safeguarding procedures.
Actions taken by Amy Dixon Coaching will be consistent with the principles of
adult safeguarding ensuring that any action taken is prompt, proportionate and
that it includes and respects the voice of the adult concerned.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to demonstrate the commitment of Amy Dixon
Coaching to safeguarding adults and to ensure that everyone involved in Amy
Dixon Coaching is aware of:
• The legislation, policy and procedures for safeguarding adults.
• Their role and responsibility for safeguarding adults.
• What to do or who to speak to if they have a concern relating to the welfare
or wellbeing of an adult within the organisation.

Scope

This safeguarding adult policy and associated procedures apply to all individuals
involved in Amy Dixon Coaching including Board members, Staff, Coaches,
Volunteers and Members and to all concerns about the safety of adults whilst
taking part in our organisation, its activities and in the wider community.
We expect our partner organisations, including for example, affiliated clubs,
suppliers and sponsors to adopt and demonstrate their commitment to the
principles and practice as set out in this Safeguarding Adults Policy and
associated procedures.
Commitments
In order to implement this policy Amy Dixon Coaching will ensure that:
• Everyone involved with Amy Dixon Coaching is aware of the safeguarding
adult procedures and knows what to do and who to contact if they have a
concern relating to the welfare or wellbeing of an adult.
• Any concern that an adult is not safe is taken seriously, responded to promptly,
and
followed up in line with Amy Dixon Coaching Safeguarding Adults Policy and
Procedures.
• The well-being of those at risk of harm will be put first and the adult actively
supported to communicate their views and the outcomes they want to
achieve. Those views and wishes will be respected and supported unless there
are overriding reasons not to (see the Safeguarding Adults Procedures).
• Any actions taken will respect the rights and dignity of all those involved and
be proportionate to the risk of harm.
• Confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are
maintained and securely stored in line with our Data Protection Policy and
Procedures Amy Dixon Coaching
• Amy Dixon Coaching acts in accordance with best practice advice, for
example, from UK Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Scotland, Sport
Northern Ireland, National Governing Bodies, NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust.
• Amy Dixon Coaching will cooperate with the Police and the relevant Local
Authorities in taking action to safeguard an adult.
• All Board members, staff, officials and volunteers understand their role and
responsibility for safeguarding adults and have completed and are up to date
with safeguarding adult training and learning opportunities appropriate for
their role.
• Amy Dixon Coaching uses safe recruitment practices and continually assesses
the suitability of volunteers and staff to prevent the employment/deployment
of unsuitable individuals in this organisation and within the sporting
community.
• Amy Dixon Coaching shares information about anyone found to be a risk to
adults with the appropriate bodies. For example: Disclosure and Barring
Service, Services, Police, Local Authority/Social Services.
• When planning activities and events Amy Dixon Coaching includes an
assessment of, and risk to, the safety of all adults from abuse and neglect and
designates a person who will be in attendance as a safeguarding lead for that
event.
• Actions taken under this policy are reviewed by the Board and senior
management team on an annual basis.
• This policy, related policies (see below) and the Safeguarding Adults
Procedures are reviewed no less than on a two yearly basis and whenever
there are changes in relevant legislation and/or government guidance as
required by the Local Safeguarding Board, UK Sport, Sport
England/Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland and/or National Governing Bodies
and or as a result of any other significant change or event.
Implementation
• Amy Dixon Coaching is committed to developing and maintaining its
capability to implement this policy and procedures.
• A clear line of accountability within the organisation for the safety and
welfare of all adults.
• Access to relevant legal and professional advice.
• Regular management reports to the Board detailing how risks to adult
safeguarding are being addressed and how any reports have been
addressed.
• Safeguarding adult procedures that deal effectively with any concerns of
abuse or neglect, including those caused through poor practice.
• A Safeguarding Lead/ Welfare Officer (see Appendix 1).
• A delegated Safeguarding Lead/Welfare Officer for events/trips/camps/
competitions.
• A standing Case Management/ Case Referral Group with an appointed
Chair and clear Terms of Reference
• A process for forming a Case Management Group on a case by case basis
within clear terms of reference
• Arrangements to work effectively with other relevant organisations to
safeguard and promote the welfare of adults, including arrangements for
sharing information.
• Codes of conduct for Board members, Staff, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers
and Members and other relevant individuals that specify zero tolerance of
abuse in any form.
• Risk assessments that specifically include safeguarding of adults.
• Policies and procedures that address the following areas and which are
consistent with this Safeguarding Adults policy.

Let’s Work Together

Get in touch so we can start working together.