Mediation and complaints management

CLIENT: NON-GOVERNMENT DISABILITY SERVICE PROVIDER

WestWood Spice was engaged to help resolve a conflict between a non-government disability service provider, the families and guardians of some service users and the government who was funding and monitoring the service. The mediation not only required the hearing of all the points of view with an expert and informed ear, but also a neutral, calm environment where the parties could express and discuss their individual perspectives. WestWood Spice met with the service users and direct support staff on site, obtained reports from the Ombudsman, spoke with each of the parties individually and, ultimately, held a formal mediation on neutral territory encouraging discussion and respectful problem solving dialogue. The process lead to an agreement that included an action plan, timelines, accountabilities and clear stepping stones with a monitoring process. The result, six and twelve months later, was not only a full resolution of the dispute, but a complete change in the relationships between the parties.