The Kent Mediation Service Team

Denise is an FMC (Family Mediation Council) accredited family mediator, and is qualified to do Legally Aided Mediation, sign court forms and to do direct consultations with children.

 In August 2013, she became the Head of Mediation and the PPC (Professional Practice Consultant) for Kent Family Mediation Services. She is also currently the Service Manager.

 Denise also delivers mediation foundation training for Resolution, a membership organisation that comprises of around 6,500 lawyers. 

 Denise managed a large mediation service for Relate in Northeast London for eight years and authored the Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP). The SPIP was delivered to around 250,000 people nationally and she has delivered it personally to approximately 9,000 parents.

Denise was awarded the Avril Reid Award for Innovation in Mediation by the President of National Family Mediation in 2007, and she also won the Dispute Resolution Practitioner of the Year Award in 2012 and won Resolution’s prestigious John Cornwell award in 2022.

Adv. Dip in Humanistic Counselling, Post Grad Dip in Play Therapy, Cert in Counselling Skills

Paula is an FMC (Family Mediation Council) accredited family mediator, and is qualified to do Legally Aided Mediation, sign court forms and to do direct consultations with children. She also has an Advanced Diploma in Counselling. 

Paula has been a Family Mediator since 2003 and has worked as a School Counsellor for the past eight years. She acts as a Consultant for CAFCASS and also undertakes parent coaching and counselling. Paula was a SPIP (Separated Parents Information Programme) Presenter, and she was also a Presenter for Kent Family Mediation’s, Children First and Parenting After Separation Workshops.

Bernardina is an FMC (Family Mediation Council) accredited family mediator, and is qualified to do Legally Aided Mediation, sign court forms and to do direct consultations with children 

Bernardina was employed for nine years as a Mediation Coordinator with Southeast London Family Mediation Bureau (SELFMB). During this time, she also trained and practiced as a Neighbourhood Mediator, and as ‘in Court’ Mediator in association with CAFCASS, at Bromley County Court.

 In 2011 Bernardina gained her Legal Aid Agency Accreditation and since this time, she been working for Kent Family Mediation Service as a Family Mediator. Bernardina was also a presenter for the CAFCASS & Family Court SPIP Workshops.

BA (Hons), Solicitor

Sarah is both a Legal Aid Agency Accredited Family Mediator and an FMC (Family Mediation Council) accredited Family Mediator. Sarah joined Kent Family Mediation Service in 2011. Sarah is a qualified Solicitor and has she also worked as a Welfare Advisor and a School Governor for nine years.

Sarah says “Family Mediation is rewarding when, having met people at a low point in their lives, you can help them to consider and discuss more options than they thought they had and to arrive at a fair resolution and the hope of a new start.

Kent Family Mediation Service is friendly, well organised and professional, up-to-date and the service is quick to introduce the latest ideas, research training and best practice”. Sarah is also a presenter for the CAFCASS and Family Court SPIP Workshops.

Heidi is an FMC (Family Mediation Council) accredited family mediator and is qualified to do Legally Aided Mediation and to sign court forms. 

She has a BA Joint Honours in English Literature and Linguistics, has delivered peer mediation in schools and has also delivered the Separated Parents Information Programme to parents.

She is known for her calm and empathetic manner, she is expert at de-escalating high-conflict situations through child-centric solutions and has a particular interest in working with neurodiversity and focusing on the developmental needs of children. 

“I have been the Senior Administrator for Kent Family Mediation Service for the past 22 years. This has been my only position since leaving the Metropolitan Police Service. I enjoy working in my role as I get great satisfaction from knowing that Kent Family Mediation Service can really make a difference to families who are going through a difficult and emotional time in their lives”.

Shelley joined Kent Family Mediation Service in 2022, after working as a senior administrator for a local independent financial advisor. Since joining the service Shelley has been a dedicated and helpful member of the team.