The Act – Section by Section Section 2: Mediation services
27.Section 2 amends section 15 of the 2004 Act. Section 15 places a duty on education authorities to arrange for independent mediation services in relation to the exercise of the authority’s functions under the 2004 Act to be provided, free of charge, to parents of children or young people belonging to their area. Mediation aims to bring parties together to discuss the issues and to help broker a way forward. Section 2 removes the requirement for the child or young person to belong to the authority’s area. This will allow parents of children or young persons who have submitted an out of area placing request or are being educated in an authority outwith the authority in which they live as a result of a successful out of area placing request, to access the mediation services provided by the host authority.