Mediation & family support

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The context

Relationship breakdown is the primary cause of youth homelessness in Scotland. 60% of people under 25 presenting to local authorities in 2019-20 cited being ‘asked to leave’ (40%) or a non-violent dispute at home (20%) as the main reason for their application. Just under half (47%) came from the parental/family home, or that of a relative. During the pandemic, the number of people asked to leave the family home rose to the highest level in a decade – even whilst other forms of homelessness decreased.

Whilst mediation focused on repairing relationships between young people and parents/care givers can help reduce the conflicts which can lead to crises such as homelessness, RRTPs show the nature, extent and timing of such interventions is inconsistent across Scotland. Cyrenians has delivered its impactful ‘Amber’ mediation and support model since 2006 - it's good practice insights informing the set-up of the Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution in 2014.

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The intervention

Cyrenians devised the Amber model specifically to address the sort of family relationships breakdowns that can lead to youth homelessness. The service has two distinct prongs: mediation, delivered by skilled mediators, and direct family support. This comes from an understanding that focusing on conflict resolution alone is often not enough to address a family’s difficulties. Whilst mediators listen to each family member and help them communicate and understand each other better, family outreach workers offer more practical support, such as helping young people build confidence, manage anger or cope with school.

Initially launched in Edinburgh, since 2010 Amber has been commissioned by East Lothian Council social work and housing teams. Amber workers are co-located in the local authority, which has built trust and confidence in the service. The service also has a school-based element, working with pupils from age 14, taking referrals from teachers, social workers, youth mental health teams and young people themselves (some referred via friends). Cyrenians also delivers conflict resolution sessions as part of the curriculum.

The service also has a housing element, through the ‘asked to leave’ project, which works with young people who find themselves facing or experiencing homelessness. At times, with mediation and support, homelessness and use of temporary accommodation is entirely prevented. At others, it means a planned move, with less rupture of family relationships. The service continues to be available to young people who enter the homelessness system, with support focused on mending relationships – leading at times to young people returning home, or building bridges with their family, which aids future independent living.

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The outcome

Since Amber was launched 15 years ago, 1,959 families have benefited from mediation and support, with the great majority of young people staying at home, returning home, or moving out in a planned rather than crisis manner, with support.

Last year (2020-21), Cyrenians mediation and support services worked with 117 young people and their families, with overwhelmingly positive outcomes: 85% of young people remained at or returned home, whilst 15% moved out in a planned way with support. Learnings from Cyrenians’ 10-year collaboration with East Lothian Council show early intervention is a cost-effective way to both prevent youth homelessness and reduce unnecessary state intervention in family lives.

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Key insights

• mediation alone doesn’t address all issues faced by a young person at risk of being asked to leave home - a strong model of support needs to accompany it
• mediation should only be delivered by trained and skilled professionals; inexperienced staff members wading in without experience can actually cause more damage to relationships
• a mediation plus family support model is not cheap - but costs of family breakdown (to social work, housing, education and health services) are far higher

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Find out more…

Kerry Watson, Service Manager, Mediation & Support, Cyrenians
kerrywatson@cyrenians.scot