2.Main Content
How to use this site
The ADRnow website is run by the Advice services Alliance (ASA), the umbrella group for the not-for-profit advice sector in the UK. You can find out more about us in the About ASA section of this site.
We run ADRnow in order to give an independent overview of Alternative Dispute Resolution in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
ASA also publishes a regular update of developments in ADR in the UK, which is circulated by email three times a year. If you would like to be added to the circulation list, please email: val.reid@asauk.org.uk
Back copies of the ADR Updates can be found under the policy menu on the ASA website.
This ADRnow site contains a Home page and four main menus. There is also a search box on every page: type in any word or phrase, and the search engine will bring up the pages most likely to give you the information you want.
The four main menus can be found on the tabs at the top of each page on the site. They are:
Types of ADR
The Types of ADR section describes the main kinds of ADR available, including:
Adjudication
Arbitration
Conciliation
Mediation
Ombudsmen
Click on the words above, or on the drop-down menu under Types of ADR to go to the page you are interested in.
The mediation section also has separate pages for:
Civil and commercial disputes
Community mediation
County Court mediation
Small claims mediation
Family Mediation
Each page also links to profiles of the key national schemes providing this type of ADR, with a link to the scheme’s own website. We have also included some profiles of local schemes which might be of interest, and could provide useful models for new schemes in other areas. You can also find a page on Choosing a mediation provider.
Types of problem
The Types of Problem section provides a menu list of some common legal problems, with an overview of the ADR options available in each type of dispute. The problems covered are:
Benefits
Consumer Affairs
Education and Training
Employment
Families
Government
Health and Social Care
Housing and Homelessness
Law and Rights
Money and Tax
Click on the words above, or on the problem you want to read about in the drop-down menu under Types of Problem.
Where specific ADR schemes are mentioned, there will be a link to the site page explaining the scheme in more detail.
Points to consider
The Points to consider section looks at the issues which need to be thought about when deciding how best to attempt to resolve a particular problem. It includes pages on:
Pros and Cons of ADR - this page looks at the factors to consider when deciding whether or not to try an ADR option to resolve a dispute.
ADR and the courts - this page gives an outline of the ADR issues you need to bear in mind when considering using the courts to resolve a dispute. It includes legal aid and the civil procedure rules.
Court cases - this gives an summary of the most significant case law regarding ADR and mediation.
ADR Research - this provides a summary of the most important research findings in mediation and ADR in the UK since the Access to Justice Act in 1999.
Tips for mediation - this provides a checklist of things to consider when preparing for mediation in a dispute.
Directory
This is an ADR Directory of the ADR providers mentioned on this site, with links to their own websites for more detailed information about each scheme. It also provides links to the websites of other useful organisations such as advice providers and regulators. There is a directory search box so that you can search either for the name of an organisation, or for a key search word. For information on the selection of mediation providers in this directory, see Choosing a mediation provider.
November 2008
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