Sue Fowles

Sue’s background is in teaching where, the best part of the job for Sue, was the children. Moving into mediation for The Family Mediation Trust, Sue provides online sessions when she splits her time between the UK and Africa.

Specialisms

Sue especially likes meeting children in Child Inclusive Mediation and says she is “Yet to meet a child who was not delightful and a credit to their parents.

These children usually understand the problems their parents are having and have a clear- sighted view of what they would like in the future. Sadly, this may sometimes be to not see a parent for a short or longer time, but there is always reasoned thinking behind that and not just a saying no." 

Sue splits her time between living with her West African husband in Africa and in the UK where she has four adult children. Together with a friend, Sue teaches at a school in the bush and has a number of Gambian friends.

“I hope that this makes me very open and understanding of people of all types and backgrounds. It also means that I get to do some teaching in a school, which is very different to previous ones in the UK! I continue to work when I am in Africa, offering online sessions; this means that there is not a break between client contact as I move from one continent to the other,” says Sue.

Training and employment background

Sue’s background is in teaching where she took a break to have her fourth child: this proved to be a permanent break from being in school. She did the usual mum things like PTA but was also a host mother for foreign language students for several years. This was great for her children, mixing with lots of different cultures and people, and great for Sue as it was a mum/ teacher role.

 Sue moved into mediation by volunteering as a community mediator, dealing with dogs, trees, noise etc, finally moving into Family Mediation after studying for a legal qualification and working for a law firm. Family Mediation brings together a number of Sue's areas of interests.

Sue says:

"People are fascinating- on the train and in the mediation room! As a mediator, you meet people when they are usually at a low ebb in their lives, but ready to try to move on. Being a mediator, provides you with an opportunity to help people help themselves and to find a way through their problems, using their strengths and talents. It is uplifting to compare people at the beginning and the end of the mediation process. They feel lighter in spirit having faced their problems and found ways of sorting matters out themselves and being ready to move on." 

Mediation Services

• Qualified to Sign Court Forms 
• Provides mediation funded by legal aid 
• Provides mediation funded with the Mediation Voucher
• Qualified to see children in mediation
• Offers online mediation