Working with child witnesses, from assessment to evidence
Our intermediaries Jess, Sekai and Rachel talk about how we work with child witnesses One of the most important ways evidence is presented at a trial or hearing is through a witness giving evidence. But how does the court ensure best evidence is given when a witness is a child under... Continue reading
Why request an intermediary assessment?
Kathryn, an intermediary, talks about assessments and how they can help people with communication difficulties When we receive a referral to work with someone with communication difficulties, our first step is to carry out an assessment. There can be concerns about someone’s ability to take part in court proceedings for... Continue reading
What inspired me to become an intermediary – Tracy’s story
I think it’s probably fair to say that I did not follow the most direct path to becoming an intermediary. It started off smoothly enough, leaving school at 18 and going on to study accountancy at university. How I ended up with a degree in social sciences is another story. While... Continue reading
Building confidence through experience and peer support
We asked our intermediaries to tell us about the most common challenges they face in their roles. Rebecca discusses how daunting the intermediary role can be, and how support from her colleagues helped her to build her confidence in court. Before starting my job as an intermediary at Communicourt, I... Continue reading
How do we form a rapport and why is it important?
We asked our intermediaries to tell us about the most common challenges they face in their roles. Mollie talks about why rapport is so important for her to do her job well. Being a new intermediary can be a daunting prospect. There’s so much to learn about the formalities of... Continue reading
“Why didn’t your legal career pan out?”- understanding the role of an intermediary
We asked our intermediaries to tell us about the most common challenges they face in their roles. Shannon discusses how there is a lack of awareness about her role, and why she is so passionate about helping people to understand. When I tell people I am an intermediary, I am... Continue reading
Schizophrenia: myths, stigma and prejudice
Elizabeth is one of our intermediaries and she has written a post to explore how the condition is misunderstood. We provide communication support for defendants in criminal courts and respondents in family proceedings. We all have a strong passion for equality and fairness and every day we work with individuals... Continue reading
What inspired me to become an intermediary – Maija’s story
In the latest post in our 'What Inspired Me' series, Maija tells us about her career path and how she became an intermediary. I recall being a young Finnish girl, aged perhaps five, and feeling immensely puzzled. I had been in a scuffle and had explained to a kindergarten teacher... Continue reading
What inspired me to become an intermediary – Andrew’s story
As part of a new blog post series, Andrew tells us what inspired him to move across from working as a speech and language therapist at an acute brain injuries unit to become a Court Appointed Intermediary. So, imagine you are accused of something. You can’t understand what. You don’t... Continue reading
