About Us
Dr. Catherine Frances
Accredited Family Mediator
FMC Accredited Family Mediator 1569A
Child Inclusive Mediator, Integrated Mediation Practitioner and Professional Practice Consultant.
Catherine gained an MA and PhD in international child abduction, models for co-parenting with associated law and psychology, and worked for the United Nations University in Japan before returning to the UK.
She is accredited by the Family Mediation Council to mediate all issues – property, finances and child arrangements – is a Board Member of the Family Mediators Association, and has co-authored and contributed to books related to mediation.
Catherine regularly speaks to children as part of mediation (Child Inclusive), and is happy for solicitors to accompany clients, especially in complicated finance cases (Integrated Mediation) and mentors mediators working towards accreditation (Professional Practice Consultant).
Catherine’s passion is to help you avoid going to court. No one needs more stress in their lives.
Catherine was a Finalist at the bi-annual National Mediation Awards 2022 and Stratford Family Mediation was a winner at Stratford Herald Business and Tourism Awards 2022.
Quote from
‘Conversations
with Young People in Family Mediation’
“Young people’s observations and comments bring the
book to life. I thank my mediator colleagues most warmly for their accounts of
conversations with children and quotes from the children (anonymised with names
changed). Foremost among them is Cathy Frances, founder and director of the
award-winning Stratford Family Mediation. Cathy has a special gift for
connecting with young people, who often tell her that she is the one person who
listens to them. Cathy also has the sympathy and skills to help parents take
their children’s messages on board, so that parents become more attuned to
their children’s needs and perspectives and family arrangements then work more
smoothly.
Lisa Parkinson – Published February 2024 – Page 18 – Acknowledgements
And if you’re going to be quoted by anyone, you want it to be Lisa, the Mother of Family
Mediation!
Catherine is a Taekwondo black belt, is an enthusiastic amateur gardener, enjoys playing badminton, pickle ball and walking her beloved dogs, Betsy and Tuppence.
PHILIPPA JOHNSON
Professional practice consultant *
FMC Accredited Family Mediator URN 0676A, Child Inclusive Mediator, Integrated Mediation Practitioner, Trainer, Family Lawyer, Law Consultant and Law Reporter
Philippa Johnson is accredited by the Family Mediation Council (FMCA).
She is a member of and former chair of the Family Mediators Association (FMA).
She was called to the Bar in 1999, is a member of Middle Temple and has worked for over 20 years as a legal consultant to barristers, solicitors, publishers and legal organisations, providing family specialists with information on changes in family law.
Philippa is particularly well known in the family law world for her work as a law reporter (she is now the lead reporter on the Family Court Reports), and as the former Executive Director of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (now the International Academy of Family Lawyers).
Philippa is qualified to meet with children within mediation (child-inclusive mediation). She provides other family mediators of all levels of experience with training and is one of the FMA’s foundation trainers and also acts as a supervisor for other family mediators.
Philippa was one of two editorial consultants for the family mediation ‘bible’, Lisa Parkinson’s Family Mediation (4th edition).
Philippa has four sons and four grandchildren, and is a whizz at making cakes!
*Every family mediator must have a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC), an experienced family mediator who acts as their mentor and supervisor.