Whatisanintermediary?
Anintermediaryisacommunicationspecialistwhofacilitates communicationbetweencourtusers,legalteamsandthe Court.Intermediariesareusedwhensomeoneisidentifiedas havingcommunicationneeds,whichwilllikelymeanthey facebarrierstoeffectiveparticipationinlegalproceedings.
IntermediariesplayanimportantroleinensuringtheArticle6 (HumanRightsAct,1988)rightsofcourtuserswithcommunication needsareupheld,bysupportingthemtoparticipateeffectively. Whatthismeansinpracticemaylookdifferentfordifferent courtusers.Itmaymeansupportingsomeoneto:
‘Followthethrustofproceedings’duringhearings
Understandkeyevidenceinthecase(includingexpert evidence)
Attendto,process,understandandretainlegaladvice,to ensuretheyareabletogiveinformedinstructions
Givetheirbestevidencebyensuringquestionscanbe understoodandansweredclearly
Giveclearinstructionstotheirlegalteam
Understandthepositionsofotherpartiesandthe possibleoutcomesinacase
Intermediariesassistcourtuserswhohaveanidentified communicationneed.
Itisimportanttonotethat,inmanycases,intermediaries workwithpeoplewhohaveanundiagnosed communicationneed.Underdiagnosisisverycommon amongindividualswhomayhavehadlimitedaccessto supportservicesinthepast,forarangeofreasons.
Amongcourtuserswhodohaveaformaldiagnosis, intermediariescommonlyassistpeoplewhohaveconditions suchasautism,ADHD,learningdisability,dementia,aphasia andbraininjury,aswellasindividualswithmentalhealth conditionswhichcanimpactcommunication(suchasPTSD, anxietyandschizophrenia).
Intermediariescanassistrespondents,defendants, witnesses,appellantsandothersinarangeoflegalsettings. Communicourthasassistedinpublicandprivatefamily proceedings,criminalproceedings,financialremedy proceedings,employmenttribunals,parolehearings, immigrationtribunalsandothercases.
Whatdointermediariesdo?
Thestrategiesanintermediarywillusetosupportacourt user’seffectiveparticipationwillvaryconsiderably dependingontheirspecificcommunicationneeds,andthe specificstrategieswhichassistthem.
Notwopeoplewillhavethesameprofileofcommunication strengthsanddifficulties,andthereisno‘onesizefitsall’ approach.However,therearesomecommonstrategies whichanintermediarywillhaveintheirtoolkit:
Conductingdetailed assessmentofan someone’scommunication profile,documenting findingsand(whereneeds areidentified)presenting bespokerecommendations tosupporttheir participationtotheCourt
Monitoringattentionand emotionalregulation, recommendingand implementingstrategies tosupportintheseareas
Simplifying,breaking downandrecapping verbalinformation throughoutproceedings (inrealtimeinhearings andatotherstages,e.g.in legalconferences)
Usingvisualaidsto explaincomplexconcepts ordetailedinformation
Creatingsimplified resources,suchas summariesofkey informationfromhearings orversionsofkey documents
Checkingunderstanding, usingarangeof approaches,toidentify exactlywhatsomeone hasorhasnotunderstood
Providingfeedbackon andmonitoringquestions tobeputtothecourtuser inevidence,toensurethey canbeclearlyunderstood andclearlyrespondedto
Theuseofintermediariesinappropriatecasescanbenefitall professionalsandpartiesinvolvedinthecase,notonlythe courtusertheyareallocatedtoassist.Forexample,theycan:
Supportthecourtuser’seffectiveparticipationatevery stage.Fromunderstandinglegaladviceandgiving informedinstructions,toengagingduringhearingsand evidence,andcomprehendinganyoutcomesand consequences.Intermediarysupportcanhelptoensure proceedingsareconductedfairlyandcommunication needsareappropriatelyaccommodatedthroughout
Helpfacilitatethesmoothrunningofproceedings,by minimisingtheriskofissueslikemiscommunication, communicationbreakdownbetweenthecourtuserand theirlegalteam,unclearinstructionsandunexpected changesinposition
Helpsavetimeoverallinproceedings.Common strategiessuchasreal-timeexplanation,careful monitoringofemotionalregulation,recapsinbreaks, courtdiariesandvisualaidscanreducetheoverall numberandlengthofbreaksrequiredduring proceedings.Forexample,abarristermayrequireless timetoexplainkeypointsinconference,iftheirclient’s attentionandconcentrationhasbeensupported,or theyhaveengagedwithreal-timesimplifications
Supporttheclarityandsmoothrunningofthecourt user’sevidencebyidentifyingandimplementing appropriateadjustmentstotheevidenceprocess, monitoringandprovidingadviceregardingquestionsin realtimeandbyreviewingquestionsinadvance
IncaseswhereanindividualreceivesLegalAid,intermediaries aremostlyfundedbyHMCTS,withnochargesorpayments requiredbylegalrepresentatives.
Therearesomeexceptionstothisrule,wherealternative arrangementsmayberequired.Forexample,forpre-hearing conferencesinFamilyproceedings,legalrepresentatives typicallypaytheinvoicesissuedbytheprovider–andcan thenclaimthisbackfromtheLegalAidAgency(LAA),if applicable.
ForpeoplewhoarenoteligibleforLegalAid,alternative fundingsourcesmayincludesocialservices,disability supportprograms,insurance,orprivatearrangements.
Todiscussfundinginaparticularcase,pleasecontact admin@communicourt.co.ukorcall01216630931for moreinformation.
WhatistheMASPframework?
WeareaManagedandApprovedServiceProvider(MASP) undertheHMCTSIntermediaryScheme(implementedin2022).
ThismeansourserviceisregulatedbytheMinistryofJustice andallowsHMCTSgreaterinsightintokeyaspectsof Communicourt(suchasourtrainingprogrammeandhow webackgroundcheckourintermediaries).
Underthisscheme,intermediaryratesarestandardised acrossallproviders,meaningthereisnocostdifference.
It’snotalwayseasytofeelconfidentaboutidentifyinga communicationneed.Oridentifyingwhenthatneedrequires adjustmentsliketheassistanceofanintermediarytoensure theindividualisabletoparticipatefairlyinproceedings.
Insomecases,mentalhealthdifficulties,alanguagebarrier, limitedengagementandotherfactorscancomplicatethe picture.It’salsoverycommonforsomeonewitha communicationneedtomaskdifficultiestheymaybe having,makingitevenhardertoidentifytheirneedsandthe supporttheyrequire.
Thisisonereasonwhyintermediaryassessmentscanbe veryhelpful.Byexploringallkeycommunicationdomains, theseassessmentswillidentifyareasofrelativestrengthand difficulty,compilingaclearcommunicationprofileofthe individual.Theassessmentwillalsorecommendwhetheror notanintermediaryislikelytomeaningfullyassist.
Additionally,theassessmentwillexplorestrategiesand adaptationsbeyondintermediaryassistancethatmay assistparticipation,makingdetailedrecommendations aboutcommunicationstrategiesandothermeasureswhich willhelptheindividualtakepart.
Communicationneedindicators
Notsurewhethertorequestanintermediaryassessment? Thequestionsbelowmayhelp.
Pleasenotethatthischecklistisbynomeansexhaustive. Everypersonwithacommunicationneedhasaunique profileofstrengthsanddifficulties.Assuch,thereisno‘one sizefitsall’checklistforidentification.
Dotheyoftenagreewhenaskediftheyunderstand, butcannotexplaininformationbacktoyouwhen askedtodosointheirownwords?
Dotheyfrequentlymisunderstandorforget information?
Dotheystruggletomaintainattention,oftenlosing focus,becomingfidgety,physicallyrestlessoreasily distracted?
Dotheyregularly‘goofftopic’todiscussunrelated subjects?
Dotheyoftengive“yes”,“no”ornon-verbalanswers whichdonotdemonstrateclearunderstandingof(or engagementwith)theconversation?
Dotheyreportattendingaspecialistschool,requiring extrahelpatschool,orexperiencingdifficulties duringtheireducation?
Anoteondiagnoses
Apersonwhoreportsadiagnosisofalearningdisability,a learningdifficulty,AttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder (ADHD),autism,stroke,anxiety,TraumaticBrainInjury(TBI), schizophrenia,Post-TraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)-or otherconditions-mayhavecommunicationneeds.
However,insomecases,someonewithaformaldiagnosis maynothavecommunicationneedswhichrequire intermediaryassistance.Forexample,theymaytake medicationorhavedevelopedhelpfulstrategiesthat supportcommunication.
Itmaybehelpfultoconsiderthefollowingpoints:
Apersonwithacommunication-relateddiagnosismay havedevelopedmaskingstrategies.Theirdifficulties maybemoremarkedthantheyappear
Askingtheindividualhowtheirdiagnosisaffectsthemin theireverydaylifemayhelpprovidemoreinsight
Askingabouttheirexperiencesinconferencesand courthearingsmayalsoprovehelpful
Rememberthattheindividualmaynotfeelcomfortable discussingordisclosingtheirdiagnosisorrelated communicationdifficulties,ormaylackinsightintotheir needs
Apersonwhodoesnothavediagnosesmayalsohave communicationdifficulties.Underdiagnosisandreduced accesstoservicesandsupportarecommon
Ifyouareuncertainaboutaperson’scommunication needs,anintermediaryassessmentcanprovidedetailed informationabouttheircommunicationprofile
Tomakeareferralforanintermediaryassessment,please visitwww.communicourt.co.ukandaccessourBookings Portalbyclicking“MakeaReferralviaourportal”onthe homepage.
TheAccessBrief|communicourt.co.uk/the-access-brief
THE
ACCESS BRIEF
Communicourt’slibraryoffreeresourcesfor professionalsworkingwithsomeonewitha communicationneed,fullofbite-sizedguidesto workingwithpeoplewhohavedifferentconditions,
resourcesonworkingalongsideanintermediaryindifferent settings,andguidestocreatingvisualaidsandchecking understanding.
CommunicourtCPDsessions|communicourt.co.uk/freecpd
Communicourtoffersfree,certifiedCPDsessions tolegalpractitioners,introducingkeyconcepts whenconsideringcommunicationneedsatcourt, andsupportingearlieridentificationofneeds.
Sessionscanbedeliveredonlineorinperson.Formore informationortobookasession,pleasevisitourwebsite, emailcpd@communicourt.co.ukorcallSusanMahayon 07939955031.
TheAccessingJusticePodcast|communicourt.co.uk/podcast
Communicourt’spodcast,coveringtopicsfrom trauma-informed‘lawyering’(withKamaMelly KC),toChrisPackham’sreflectionsonattending courtasanautisticperson.ListenonPodbeanor Spotify.
Communicourtsocialmedia
WeuseX(Twitter),LinkedInandInstagramto shareresourcesandinformationthatsupports legalpractitionersworkingwithclientswhohave communicationneeds.Searchusonthe platformsabovetofollowwhatwedo.
Communicourt’smissionistoensurethatcourtuserswith communicationneedscanparticipateeffectivelyinlegal proceedings,andhaveequalaccesstojustice.
Theorganisationbeganwhenspeechandlanguage therapistandRegisteredIntermediary(RI),NaomiMason, beganprovidingcommunicationsupporttodefendantsin thecriminalcourts,identifyingawidelyunaddressedneed.
Contactus
Pleasecontactadmin@communicourt.co.uk,telephone0121 6630931orvisitwww.communicourt.co.uk.Youcanalso makeareferralorbooknewdatesviaouronlineportal.
involvedinaCommunicourtproject:
07939955031 orvisitourCPDwebpage:communicourt.co.uk/freecpd TodaywearethelargestproviderofHMCTS-approved intermediaries.WeoperateacrossEnglandandWales, offeringfullnationalcoverageinalllegaljurisdictions.
cpd@communicourt.co.uk