Anti-social behaviour

Our mediation service offers help in the following areas:

• community disputes
• anti-social behaviour

The service helps people resolve their differences without involving the police or getting involved in a long and expensive legal battle. It is independent, confidential, and free to everyone who lives in South Lanarkshire.

When a referral is made mediators contact those involved in the dispute individually to listen to each point of view.

The mediators can help you work towards a mutual agreement - either through a joint session (sitting together with the mediators) or separately (known as Shuttle Mediation, where you and your neighbour sit in separate rooms and the Mediators act as “go-betweens”).

Mediation can help to improve communication and clear up the misunderstandings that are often at the root of a dispute.

We offer a safe environment helping each party to talk and listen to each other and agree on a realistic solution. We offer a safe environment helping each party to talk and listen to each other and agree on a realistic solution.  This short video will give you an insight into how mediation works and the important role it can play in resolving disputes.

Some examples of the issues the service has helped to resolve include:

• noise
• parking
• boundaries or high hedges
• clash of lifestyles
• young people experiencing family conflict
• young people facing homelessness due to family disputes.

Mediation for young people

Time to talk is part of our Mediation Service and is aimed at young people facing homelessness. We can help to reduce family conflict by resolving issues through mediation. We can help to:

• find solutions to make family life less stressful
• improve support networks and communications between families
• make leaving home a planned move
• prevent young people from leaving home too soon
• return home if everyone is in agreement and it is safe to do so

We will:

• treat all family members equally
• provide an opportunity to discuss issues and come to agreements to suit everyone
• not take sides or decide who is right or wrong

You can use our online mediation referral form to make your request or phone the Mediation Service using the contact details on this page. The Service is open from Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 4.45pm and Friday 8.45am to 4.15pm. A message can be left outside of normal working hours. 

You can also watch this short YouTube film, Understanding mediation.