Case studies

“It’s a great feeling when parents put their signature to an agreement. I find satisfaction on behalf of the children and all parties concerned,” says FairWay Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) Mediator, Ngarongo Ormsby. Tauranga Moana based Ngarongo specialises in relationship conflict. He has more than 20 years’ experience working with conflict in many different situations.

Not all Family Dispute Resolution mediations involve two parents. In this case study, the mother and grandmother of a child decided to use Family Dispute Resolution. Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) is a service not only available to parents, but also to grandparents and other family members who seek to have contact with the children.

In some cases a small amount of support, and the knowledge that support is available if needed, means families resolve their own issues.

When a distressed father approached the Fair Way office to ask about FDR he was able to be seen immediately by a mediator on duty. During the screening process it emerged that there was a history of family violence, but there was no violence at the time of separation and no court orders in place.

A recent case involved some parents who had a dispute about whether to send a child to the local state school or to a church-based school. It seemed on the face of it, unlikely that this matter could be resolved at mediation.

The building sector is facing a triple threat this winter – supply chain issues, COVID-19 impacts and a skills shortage. Our number one piece of advice for builders and homeowners is to keep talking. Communication is the key to keeping projects moving and preventing issues from escalating into disputes.

When an employee is returning to work following a disciplinary process or an investigation, they may need some support reintegrating. Facilitation can be a useful tool to create positive change within your workplace culture or a team’s dynamics. Here is a recent example.

During the unprecedented world of COVID-19, we all must adapt in innumerable ways. Mediation can and does do this. I was asked to mediate on an urgent basis on day two of lockdown. It was a moment when I was able to directly observe the magic of mediation in practice and the agility of Fair Way.