About Children 1st Mediation
We are passionate about Family Mediation and strive to provide independent family mediation to families to support them to resolve difficulties for their children.
We believe that by empowering and enabling families to improve their lives by offering an inclusive, affordable resolution service will enable people to take ownership and control over decisions in relation to difficulties or disputes that they are experiencing.
Children 1st Mediation specialises in helping you make plans for the future following separation or divorce – agreeing arrangements for your children, including the time they spend with each of you, where they will live, child maintenance and property and financial settlements. We have extensive knowledge and experience in more complex family disputes and have training in supporting families through Parental Alienation.
We believe if given the right support and opportunity, most people can reach their own solutions to the problems and difficulties that they are facing. Working with you to build understanding and resolve conflict will strengthen and empower you, which will have a positive impact on the future of you and your children.
with Mediators now working across England and Wales both online and face to face- with office locations in Plymouth, Bristol, Exeter, Taunton, Bournemouth, Dorset, Southampton Portsmouth, Gloucester, Manchester, Reading, Central London and South London.
Mabel Edge – Practice Director/ Professional Family Mediator
Becks Axtell Family Mediator
After my early career in Law, I took some time out to care for my children. I trained as a Family Mediator in 2020 and have been completed my portfolio of work with Children 1st Mediation.
I have significant experience in Children cases.
Having spent over 20 years working in dispute resolution and restorative practice, both as a practitioner, of which I spent 10 years as a Manager for children and young people’s services, responsible for the delivery of an alternate forms of dispute resolution in public law.
I am passionate about enabling and empowering people to resolve disputes themselves without the need for more adversarial interventions. I have extensive specialist knowledge and experience in Family Group Conferencing within Child Protection and early help, Family Mediation in child welfare /protection cases and Restorative Justice (RJ). I also have experience in the delivery and management of family and community conferences; workplace mediation; narrative mediation; parent child mediation; NLP, Solution focused communication and have delivered, trained and supervised a large team of facilitators in the delivery of these models.
I am a Professional Family Mediator and Professional Practice Consultant (PPC) supervisor, registered with the College of Mediators, Family Mediators Association and the Family Mediation Council to undertake Family Mediation. I was successfully awarded a Legal Aid Contract in 2018.
I developed the first specialist model of Child Welfare (protection) Mediation in the UK for Families involved with Social Services and have successfully delivered over 150 complex child welfare mediation to families in both private and public law cases.
I am also qualified to undertake Child Inclusive Mediation and I am fully DBS checked and qualified to work with children and young people to you can be sure of their safety, if they are taking part in the mediation process. You will often find me undertaking more challenging cases, often in court.
I also undertake specialist Parent Child Mediation (Children and parents together) when the right circumstances apply, however this work is not considered to be Family Mediation and as such it is not regulated in the same way.
I undertook advanced training in understanding, identifying and working with Parental Alienation in Mediation.
I am an accredited professional SEN Mediator and undertake consultancy for Global Mediation based in London and travel across the south West.
Peter Shaw- Professional Family Mediator
Peter began mediating in 2006 and became fully accredited as a Professional Family Mediator in 2008. He later also qualified as a Professional Practice Consultant, supervising other mediators.
He is registered with the Family Mediation Council, is a Member of the College of Mediators and is a Mediator Member of Resolution.
Peter started his career as a solicitor and was a partner in a law firm in Cornwall before transitioning over to Family Mediation. He undertakes a large number of mediations each year including online.
Peter conducts all types of Family Mediation and specialties in financial cases. He is qualified to undertake Child Inclusive Mediation and has skills and experience in complex financial matters.
Hannah Lane – Child Consultant
Hannah is a registered Play therapist and has many years experience in working with children and young people to enable them to have a voice, including FGC and Advocacy. Hannah is a welcome friendly face for children struggling with parental separation or the conflict arising out of parental conflict.
Hannah had an enhanced ~DBS and also undertake private Play Therapy , Supervised and Supported Child Contact, including in the community and delivers parenting support to parents struggling with parental conflict.
Malki is a professional Family Mediator and has been part of our team since October 2020.
Malki is a highly experienced Family Mediator, with more than 15years experience in family mediation. Her integrity and proficiency are greatly appreciated by clients and legal professionals alike.
Malki guides couples to reach decisions in relation to child arrangements and financial settlements that focus on their unique requirements through separation and beyond.
Malki's background in finance makes her well placed to sort out the financial complexities which can cause problems in many separation and divorce cases.
Malki is a child inclusive Mediator and experienced at meeting children in mediation
Malki is a member of the College of Mediators, and is an accredited Family Mediator.
Malki is also an Accredited SEN Mediator.
Malki Robinson- Professional Family Mediator
Bayla Klyne
Bayla is an Accredited Family Mediator and has been practising in family Mediation since 2001. Formerly Bayla qualified and practised as a Solicitor for the majority of her career. Bayla also has a degree in Economics.
Bayla’s background means that she is able to clearly explain any legal and technical aspects of divorce. Bayla is qualified and experienced at seeing Children as part of the Mediation process.
Bayla is a compassionate mediator who strives to help parents find a positive way forward.
Mia Kee -Professional Family Mediator
Mia is an experienced Family Mediator and is passionate about the contribution mediation can make to helping clients resolve conflict, and move forward with their lives.
Mia qualified as a Counsellor/ Psychotherapist in 2006 and worked in private practice primarily with familial and relationship issues, as well as on a specialist domestic violence programme and with the police.
Mia is registered with the Family Mediation Council as a fully accredited Family Mediator
Imogene Firth
Imogene trained as a Family Mediator in 2010 and is Fully Accredited to undertake all issues mediation. Imogene formerly had a successful career in quality assurance. Imogene is experienced at delivering both Children and Finance mediation.
Imogene is passionate about facilitating communication between parties to enable them to make lasting agreements, her approach is Child focussed; kind, caring and professional.
Imogene is registered with the FMC and College of Mediators
Lisa Bailey
Accredited Family Mediator – Joined the team in April 2023,
Lisa is a former Family Solicitor for over 30 years and trained as a Family Mediator in 2017, becoming accredited in 2019.
Lisa is very experienced at delivering Children and Financial mediation. Her expertise in more complex finances is an asset to any financial family mediation.
Lisa is a Child Inclusive Mediator, registered with the College of Mediators and FMC
Nicole Berry
Admin Team
Our Administration team are based in our Head Office in Plymouth just by the Sea!
At the Helm of our busy office in Plymouth is Kelsey O’Brien.
Kelsey O’Brien
Kelsey is our office Manager and she runs a tight ship, she is an experience Administrator and office Manager previously working within a busy Solicitors office. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Kelsey and she strives to provide a high quality administrative service to the team and the clients.
Kelsey manages and supports by 2 other full-time administrators and a Virtual Assistant.
Charlie Greep
Pictured on the left Charlie is an experienced Administrator with over 7 years experience working in a busy office. Most often Charlie is in the back office and sorts out billing + mediation appointments
Tamsin Barnes
Picture on the right, Tamsin is our 3rd year apprentice and whilst only 19 years old she is switched on and knows what she is doing! Tamsin undertakes all tasks within the office and can be found on reception duties for those clients attending the offie for appointments.
Amand Brighton
Why Choose Children 1st Mediation?
Our team of Professionally qualified Family Mediators have over 80 years collective experience in Mediation, so you can be sure you’re getting the best service. We believe in you retaining the decision making between you.
All of our Family Mediators are qualified and registered which means they are required to work within the parameters of family law and will consider with you both how the family court may deal with things. The mediator will help you navigate your way through the process towards finding workable solution for you both that can then be made legally binding as part of your divorce or legal separation.
Over 90% of our mediation’s lead to an outcome that both people are positive about, which makes us one of the most successful mediation services in England. This means that both of you have found a settlement that you can both live with, which avoids the need for court intervention, which no one wants. All of our mediators are accredited with the Ministry of Justice to undertake Family Mediation in both financial and Children’s issues so you can be confident your in safe hands.
