Independent Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Services

Contract for the independent mediation and disagreement resolution services to parents/carers of young people who originate or live in Hartlepool and are either involved in an assessment of needs, have been refused as assessment or are dissatisfied with something within their education, health and care plan (EHCP) following a review. To enable them to take the matter to tribunal, they must first undertake some form of mediation which is a statutory requirement under the SEND code of Practice 2015. Due to significant changes in the Mediation arena, Chapel are the only remaining provider in this area willing to offer this service (one supplier withdrew in Jul 2022 and previous providers in the years prior). To ensure we fulfil our contractual obligations we need to ensure we maintain their services on an ongoing basis, the costs for full cases are between £250-£350, however most only require a certificate at a cost of £50 per case, so its difficult to calculate exact expenditure due to fluctuating take up of the service. In view of the above this contract falls outside of HBCs Contract Procedure Rules