Let's Get Honest! Absolutely Uncommon Analysis of Family & Conciliation Courts' Operations, Practices, & History

** A  tradename for a specialty lawyers’ association:  “Solicitors Family Law Association,” formed only in 2004. Rather than call attention to what type of professionals, the focus is redirected to a values statement:  “Resolution,” perhaps also as an abbreviated expression of the international push, here too, for “ADR” that is, “ALTERNATE Dispute Resolution.”

I was just following some policies (and AFCC trainers) across the pond.  This is where it led.

ADR Group (1993), I.D.R. Europe (1989, incl. its recent demise and sale to ADR Group), Family Mediation Council (only 2015), the Civil Mediation Council (2014), and lastly, Resolution – Family First.** (2004), all ‘Ltd.’  Basically  ‘AFCC Across the Pond,’ with Significant Interpretation Help from Beta.CompaniesHouse.gov.UK) [Written Feb. 2, Published Oct. 22, 2018]. short-link ends “-8yb.” Just about 6,200 words (and that link is: Beta.CompaniesHouse.gov.UK).

Since on this blog I so often use the four-letter acronym “AFCC,” or post its materials on Alienation Prevention, Collaborative Divorce, Parenting Education nonprofit “Kids’ Turn” (San Francisco- former; San Diego — current) and so forth, I figured it’s time to take another webshot for any “newbies” to this blog or that terminology. You’ll see some “AFCC” screen shots further down on the post.

In this post, I discovered through use of the above UK-based companies lookup page, and comparing one to another, as contrasted with the impressions given by the very large, and mutual-reference organizations, that they are:

~ Typically smaller than it would seem for such a “national” and “premier” accreditation/services council or company name. ~ For most, more recent than I expected, which may explain why I didn’t hear about them until recently.

The fast-startup and quick networking also shows pre-existing common interests (interdependent relationships) and understanding of how to move fast, move assets & ownership from one place to another (in the case of ADR Group/I.D.R. Europe and of the only recent (2015) incorporation of the Family Mediation Council with its six membership organizations.

These “membership organizations” it seems are in fact part of the “guaranteeing” entities (as in, “Private Company Limited by Guarantee”) and the guarantee is rather small — only 10 GBP each, and as to limitation of the liabilities of individual directors, to only 1 GBP each also.

Regarding the comparison to AFCC — there are parallels in the difference between claims and size/ start-dates of operations, not just: apparently aligned goals; expanding the field continually; promoting specialty professions – particularly mediation– of privately negotiating OUT of the courts, all kinds of “disputes” covering all kinds of “relationships,”  but there are strategic differences in how companies are recorded, organized AND in how governments help promote or fund them, cross-country.

There are also strategic differences within between countries in how much they tax their citizens, how “nationalized” their industries and public systems are, and, of course, forms of government and judicial + court systems, along a spectrum at one end of which, there is MORE individual choice and freedom, and another, there is LESS, despite and in spite of plenty of class differences within each country, too.  Some forms of governance are more intrusive, aggressive, and burden the public more for “services” than others respective to how citizens’ voices can be and are heard than others.

Speaking as a U.S. citizen who in my fifties and sixties has been dealing with the transformed “family court systems” post-Internet, post-PRWORA, post-9/11 (World Trade Towers, NYC + Homeland Security, Patriot Act, etc.) and following continued pressure to erode basic individual rights under the law “for the cause” as well as, in the case of the USA, post-“faith based initiatives” Executive Order (2001), “Family Justice Centers” (2003ff) and the Family Justice Center Alliance, and ongoing marriage/fatherhood promotions…and speaking as a woman, and a mother, if this, including the “new, revised” family court systems I and my offspring were just dragged through, a gauntlet / marathon, and come to find, in hindsight, in part from the push to “end welfare as we know it” incorporating major (and often wrong) assumptions about men (as fathers), and women (as mothers), represents “liberty and justice for all” and “government by the consent of the governed,” or even moving TOWARD it as opposed to AWAY from it, I’d like to see how.

Flag of the United States of America (from Britannica.com)
I think this country has among the most to lose (still) IF the standards are diluted to better align with a country we originally fought two wars AGAINST (1700s, 1800s), and at least one world war WITH (1900s), yet women didn’t even get to vote until the first quarter of the 1900s. It’s also not too much of a secret that it’s been prosperous, it has a large geographic span (though not the world’s largest obviously) and plenty of revenue-producing population.

~ ~ ~ ENCLYOPEDIA BRITANNICA — ON THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA ~ ~ ~

Looking for either a good visual or a good description of the extent of (my) country based on land mass/geography only, I didn’t find a one, however, (of all places), the Encyclopedia Britannica article on the US says it’s the fourth largest in the world, after Russia, Canada, and China.  The article also talks, respectfully I feel, about its prosperity (and the basis for it), dramatic diversity in both population and terrain, and about the government — how it was the first to separate from its European colonizer and to have a constitution delegating sovereignty — a BIG deal — to the citizens, not the government.  So I’ve included several quotes.

BUT this post began, and remains, information on UK-based, Family-Court (primarily but not exclusively) aligned organizations and how they are networking there.  And, at points, how this interacts with associations and aligned professionals in the US and admits to the same…

So these reminders, basics, on the size, diversity in both people and terrain, prosperity (in general, compared to the rest of the world), originality (the first of the European colonies to separate from its so-called “motherland” — a reference to England, at the time being ruled by a King, not the present Queen…) of my country are in the context of why then, should we be returning to a different form of government, piecemeal and incrementally, through private sector alliances targeting the legal and judicial system for their own prosperity and those of their members?

It’s even less of a secret, looking at some of these organizations, and other related ones (I’m thinking of “FamilyInitiative.org.uk“‘s very few founders and other companies the same are involved in, also found through Beta.Companieshouse.gov.uk, but not posted yet) . . . that this is seriously “of the few by the many and seriously patriarchal AND religious in nature.

FAMILYINITIATIVE.org.UK

(This section added late Oct., 2018)

The reference to Family Initiative came up in Feb. 2018, however the several images only thrown in there at the last minute before publishing, Oct. 2018.  It’s an organization I had my eye on back then, and probably after finding it in connection with the Cowans (Carolyn Pape & Phillip?)  & Marsha Kline Pruett (AFCC) & Kyle Pruett in a California “PaPas” or other fatherhood organization.  

International orientation: The Family Initiative has a “person with significant control” of South African nationality residing in the UAE, and though I haven’t made a 1:1 correspondence yet of 2017-appointed PSC (Person with Significant Control of the entity) “Johan HENDRIK Van den Heever with SARB (South African Reserve Bank’s) Johan Van den Heever, it’s still possible they are the same person.  Otherwise, I wonder why such a connection was sought for this new organization based in the UK, not the UAE).  

This linkedIn gives a better description:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/johan-van-den-heever-4962149/ and lists him as a co-founder and his skillsets, work history.

Johan Hendrik Van den Heever LinkedIn (showing Family Initiative co-founder)

Johan van den Heever LinkedIn (top) viewed oct 22 2018

It also mentions that the family solicitors and mediators are sponsoring its “Voices in the Middle” project, so closely mirroring the pushing of “Children in the Middle” programming by AFCC members in the USA.  FYI, Yes, Michael E. Lamb (UCambridge Psychologist) is indeed the Michael Lamb recommending Richard Warshak (Texas, AFCC, “Divorce Poison” etc. Psychologist & Author, continuing the “Richard Gardner” parental alienation legacy, avidly).

I’ve posted this link & image before in the context of reporting more on Warshak, but notice the testimonial from Michael Lamb, and below it, a California “Certified Family Law Specialist, Leslie Shear…  https://www.warshak.com/divorce-poison/acclaim.html  (relevance:  The 2018 Financial Statements  — image from it shown below) of FamilyInitiative recognizes Professor Lamb as one of the experts they were working with).

I’m not stopping to re-arrange or better caption the images; the first link is to a pdf which you can browse yourself:

Click to access the pdf~~> FaMILY Initiative (Co ltd by guarantee 10445272 England&Wales (formed Oct2016) UNaudted Financials PEMarch2018 

A few more images are at the bottom of the post as a “Footnote.”  Otherwise the post is pretty much as written several months ago, before I “relocated” under duress as my Oct. 21, 2018 published post (and a bit on Twitter) has described..Oct 22, 2018//LGH.

Let’s review one more time:  The United States of America does not have an OFFICIAL national religion (thankfully), and it does not OFFICIALLY grant titles of nobility referring to degrees of separation from the monarchy with which inherited or acquired (i.e., where a title is conferred after major wealth is conferred).  The central concept of this country in theory is NOT “oligarchy” and we should be aware of practices which become policies running in that direction.

This brings up my experience as a (battered, until I obtained legal intervention, including a kickout-order), under the name of “Christianity” “Jesus” and of course “God” wife, and thereafter. I’ll say it again, but as a footnoted disclaimer why my strong opinion — because I can testify to how this translates into certain (certainly not all) men — over-entitled, and perhaps working this out to obtain their own sense of personal empowerment (i.e., to compensate for what “the world” hasn’t given them); men who go beyond the law for religious reasons, and are supported in doing so, for the same reasons — and the women who back them in this.  Bringing this “Ole-Time Religion” (and the progressive version of it too, whether coming as here from Christian, or from Jewish, Muslim, or Hindu — ANY other religion) in the back door through the family court system is wrong, and at conflict with the “equal rights under the law” concept, referring to as citizens.

The article in its opening paragraph doesn’t list US territories (they are named as separate articles, along with Washington, D.C.,  near the end), however.  Selections from this article, some links to well-known words (prairie, Arctic environment, rain forest, etc.) removed for a cleaner copy (not counting the colorful-backgrounds and other emphases I added!)…

Encyclopedia Britannica article on the US <=clickable link

The major characteristic of the United States is probably its great variety. Its physical environment ranges from the Arctic to the subtropical, from the moist rain forest to the arid desert, from the rugged mountain peak to the flat prairie. Although the total population of the United States is large by world standards, its overall population density is relatively low. The country embraces some of the world’s largest urban concentrations as well as some of the most extensive areas that are almost devoid of habitation.

The United States contains a highly diverse population. Unlike a country such as China that largely incorporated indigenous peoples, the United States has a diversity that to a great degree has come from an immense and sustained global immigration. Probably no other country has a wider range of racial, ethnic, and cultural types than does the United States.

In addition to the presence of surviving Native Americans (including American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos) and the descendants of Africans taken as slaves to the New World, the national character has been enriched, tested, and constantly redefined by the tens of millions of immigrants who by and large have come to America hoping for greater social, political, and economic opportunities than they had in the places they left. (… although the terms “America” and “Americans” are often used as synonyms for the United States and its citizens, respectively, they are also used in a broader sense for North, South, and Central America collectively and their citizens.)

The United States is the world’s greatest economic power, measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). The nation’s wealth is partly a reflection of its rich natural resources and its enormous agricultural output, but it owes more to the country’s highly developed industry. Despite its relative economic self-sufficiency in many areas, the United States is the most important single factor in world trade by virtue of the sheer size of its economy. Its exports and imports represent major proportions of the world total. The United States also impinges on the global economy as a source of and as a destination for investment capital. The country continues to sustain an economic life that is more diversified than any other on Earth, providing the majority of its people with one of the world’s highest standards of living.  The United States is relatively young by world standards, being less than 250 years old; it achieved its current size only in the mid-20th century.

In its first century and a half, the country was mainly preoccupied with its own territorial expansion and economic growth and with social debates that ultimately led to civil war and a healing period that is still not complete. In the 20th century the United States emerged as a world power, and since World War II it has been one of the preeminent powers. It has not accepted this mantle easily nor always carried it willingly; the principles and ideals of its founders have been tested by the pressures and exigencies of its dominant status. The United States still offers its residents opportunities for unparalleled personal advancement and wealth. However, the depletion of its resources, the contamination of its environment, and the continuing social and economic inequality that perpetuates areas of poverty and blight all threaten the fabric of the country.

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The District of Columbia is discussed in the article Washington. For discussion of other major U.S. cities, see the articles Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Political units in association with the United States include Puerto Rico, discussed in the article Puerto Rico, and several Pacific islands, discussed in Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.  

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica

Just a few (three) graphics here — for more, see the bottom of this post, Footnote: USA v. World, Visually (Population, GDP, etc.).  A Business Insider (2016) article, “Half the US Population Lives in These Nine States” (6/22/2016 by Florence Fu and Chris Weller) also points out that half the US population lives in just nine (9) states, and at the county level, which it shows, even fewer.  It then compares (by GDP — as IMF estimated for 2014) the GDP of various states with countries of similar GDP.

Relatively speaking, compare one to the other…

Top search results, population line graph (1910 to about 2010) omits China and India but shows Russia and the UK, with the UK (United Kingdom) a country-of-interest (sic) in this post…

Click image to enlarge or here for the underlying article (so long as the Business Insider link is good)

It’d be interesting to compare this with where some of the most active “family court transformation / DV Prevention” centers and concentrations of aligned professionals are located…

In 2018, I do not intend to let up the spotlight on the subversive,## private membership organization’s historic behavior and characteristics, from the start, of its purposes:

• ##At least to jursidiction AND criminal code definitions under the US Legal and Justice systems, upon which the U.S. population must rely for basic, individual freedoms and for which (other than to avoid prosecution for non-payment, i.e., under coercion) we pay taxes for these governments (Federal, State) to protect — without prejudice and partiality — influence of setting up an internationally-connected archipelago of mental-health oriented courts, guaranteeing ongoing work for membership within and around them — and corralling as much as possible ALL divorcing, separated, or never-married and having “disputes” about the raising of their children INDIVIDUALS into these courts.
• …And then extracting assets including sometimes real estate, payments, income streams, and sometimes children as a condition of exiting them — and while claiming to be resolving problems, not functioning instead more like the Mafia, (implicit threats, extortion, intimidation, etc.) just within government.  

“About” page annotated 2/2/2018, bottom comment, cont’d.: “They are dealing with legal issues in multiple countries, and seeking to align strategies regardless of those countries’ foundations as expressed in constitutions, forms of government, etc.

Home page snapshot with central claim “resolution of family conflict improves the lives of children and families,” taken 2-2-2018

Home page snapshot (bottom half) taken 2-2-2018. The top link on right sidebar (Wingspread) is dated 2007

To put them mostly at the top, here are some of the logos representing organizations in this post which I feel have exhibited corporate behaviors strange enough to call attention to them.  In other words, website impressions and statements versus realities as explored through CompaniesHouse.gov.UK and through, some, “CharitiesCommission.gov.UK” — websites a bit new to me still.

Parts of this post regarding the Guardian Article and (undeclared) AFCC member Pauline Tesler’s trips to and fro across the Altantic Ocean (and the USA back to California) come from a pending page, previously written although the page isn’t yet published. I decided, having just become aware of the ADR Group, and new (though acquainted with the names) to the British  (England and Wales registered) entities “Resolution” and “Family Mediation Council” as operating to credential people in the field (i.e., as a trainer) and thereby centralize control of it, as possible, within the UK.

Meanwhile, the “Multidisciplinary, multinational” Association of Family and Conciliation Courts continues its work in the USA and attempting to, with connections to other countries, internationally align practices through activities in the private sector which then bleed over into government declarations, endorsements, and funding.

Any references to the ADR Group (logo “ADRg”) or images to it or from Resolution and Family Mediation Council, are new, because I just recently found ADR website today which explains its relationship to the Resolution (fellow- member of FMC)  (2/1/2018)).

You may be splitting up, but things don’t have to fall apart (Sun. March 13, 2005 in The Guardian) by Jon Robins.

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…Suzanne is a pioneer of sorts. She is one of the very first of a new generation of UK divorcees who have opted for a brand new non-adversarial alternative to the divorce courts.* The approach has been imported from the US and goes under the unappealing title of ‘collaborative law‘. So far there are about only 100 family lawyers who have been trained in this radically new approach by Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association).**

…Bamber is one of the more experienced collaborative lawyers in the UK – but even he has only worked with six couples in this way. …. Under the new model, couples and their lawyers work together in round-table meetings to negotiate agreements on financial and other issues without the involvement of the courts.

* Can’t speak for the UK, but I’ll bet it’s not “brand new” there either.  It wasn’t in the US, either, not even in 2005.

**Resolution.org.uk I checked.  “formerly” isn’t quite true.  It’s still the business name, and “Resolution” is just its added “dba” or trade name for “Solicitors (i.e., “Lawyers” in the US) Family Law Association.”  It’s also one of six members of the “Family Mediation Council” (FMC), which provides accreditation courses for family mediation.

FMC “Who We Are” gives a Company#. ADR Group’s (more below on ADRg on this page (“Consolidated Control of DV Advocacy,” at FamilyCourtMatters.org),  description of it, under the Training FAQ “Who is Family Mediation Council” makes no reference to it being a company, or having six members (although elsewhere, a link to its home page is provided).

Subsidiary links on this page post their articles of incorporation, updated 2016, which clarify on their cover that “Resolution” is a “Known as,” that is, a ‘dba’ of the still-extant Solicitors Family Law Association. Notice the association’s practice emphases (close match to AFCC’s).

One thing at a time here, however.

How interesting — first divorce and family courts were created (in America, with clear historic footprints to the same organization pushing for privatization, that is exactly this — mediation, referrals, ADR, conciliation, just GET IT OUT OF COURT!  Including “collaborative law.”

Next section from the Guardian article (quoted) — here’s where Lake-Carroll fits in — for people who can’t afford the lawyers —they can “opt out” too.   Whatever the Legal Services Commission is, it sounds like government involved financing …

From the same March 13, 2005, article in the Guardian(minus the anecdotal paragraphs inbetween, promoting collaborative law):

This month divorce lawyers will be encouraged to curb their more predatory tendencies when Pauline Tesler, the American attorney who is one of the architects of collaborative law, flies in to the UK to train another batch of 250 lawyers. Her approach with her own clients is refreshingly direct. ‘If you would rather give up the right to dance at your daughter’s wedding for another £ 20,000 on the settlement, there are lawyers down the street who would love to help you, and you’ll send their child to university – not yours,’ she tells them.

… It seems that the threat of divorce litigation is an excellent cattle-prod, I mean, motivator.

Ms. Tesler is more than a “super lawyer.”  She has earned an international reputation as a pioneer in the family-friendly, interdisciplinary, values-based  team approach to family breakup and restructuring that is known as Collaborative Divorce, not only offering skilled collaborative legal representation to her own clients but also teaching the collaborative method to lawyers across North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, France, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. For that work, the American Bar Association in 2002 conferred upon her its first “Lawyer as Problem Solver” award. …

AFCC member news 2002 includes Pauline Tesler, Isolini Ricci in association with her nonprofit (at some point she was also working for Calif. Judicial Council/AOC), Warshak, and others.

Cover page of a 2002 AFCC newsletter, Vol. 21, worth browsing (notice people referenced in thumbnails).

Just a description of Angela Lake-Carroll. DNR original source.

“www.ADRGROUP.CO.UK” … (with and without the “www.” lead two entirely different places… odd).

The UK already has “ADR” and a dispute resolution membership group, to include Civil and Business, Family and Workplace, featuring training and provision of services also.  It’s more probable, in my opinion, that the process was imported from the UK to the US than vice versa, but flying someone in from another country, I guess, still has some PR appeal as a reportable event… There follows here a “gallery” of 9 images, most from the “ADRg” website, except the last two from the FMC (Family Mediation Council), including one repeat.  Click first image to start, click (or if cursor displays, use that) to move between images.

I later looked up some of these companies at “beta.companieshouse.gov.uk” which was even more interesting, but too complicated to narrate here..

Originally posted in gallery format (9 images) I feel these display too “fuzzy” and so am posting all 9 of  them individually and larger.

#1

#2

I looked through the pages of the ADRg (ADR Group) (some, above…) for the first time, describing its activities and trainings by which sector of mediation one is involved in –and those under “Family” where one is first encouraged to take courses here (requirement — a strong grasp of English, “for the role-playing,” and a willingness to engage in role-playing…), then go get certified over by the ‘Family Mediation Council” (FMC), then after certified to practice, remain in receipt of (for a fee charged by them) “Professional Personal Consultants” (mentors) — who also are expected to enthusiastically support (mentor) “newbies”, and where to get to court, one must first sit through an attempt to (divert the case into) mediation (“MIAMs”) — every thing looks and smells like centralized control by, specifically, the FMC.

#3 (MIAMs & Footer info), underlined “Family Mediation” & “Family Mediation Training.”

The FMC, a “company limited by guarantee,” (i.e., limiting the liability of its directors) lists SIX members, the first of which is “IDR Europe Ltd. (“ADRg”) in parentheses.  I just looked up IDR Europe, Ltd.” and found it was formed in 1989, and has had 14 of 15 directors resign, the years are listed: 1992, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2015, 2016, and as of Dec. 2017 (?) its status is “In Administration,” that is — for insolvency. It appears to be all but one (or maximum) two officers male (dep. on the first name “Adrian”‘s gender), and there is ONE American, a US qualified lawyer living in England. Interesting information.

Which may explain why, with all the searching I do, ADR Group hadn’t come up yet.  Maybe it’s a new one.

#4 “Family Mediator Training & Accreditation” (standards set by “FMC”/ resulting in “FCMA”)

#5 -“Civil and Commercial/Workplace Mediator Training:  Know English so can engage in the role-playing.

#6 -Upcoming (at the time) Family Mediation Training Courses +fees)

#7 – Getting & maintaining FCMA Certification | Professional Practice Consultants req’d..

#8 – Family Mediation Council “About Us” |I believe, Home Page

Hmm (after looking through both I.D.R. Europe (which just — this past month — underwent insolvency and sold itself “Pre-pack” style in one piece to ADR Group Ltd. (which had been a dormant company with just 1 share, owned by IDR Europe — until it was transferred to Mark Belton, who’d taken (?) IDR Europe into insolvency); ADR Group Limited is now* controlled (“Persons with Significant Control”) by Mark Belton. {“now” = This post was written Feb. 2018}.

IDR was just sold (while in debt) for an agreed upon 25,000 pounds (British), which could be paid in 7 smaller installments over time (!).  There was one American ((U.S. Lawyer) sometimes called “British” International Lawyer), Richard Adler Schiffer* who resigned from IDR Europe August 2016 and was also on ADR Group, then (?) later terminated. In Feb. 2016, at I.D.R. Europe, he held 750 out of 910 total shares (of only 1 pound each), but these were then transferred to Mr. Belton.

IDR Europe Ltd, which classified both itself and its subsidiaries (see this list) as small enough under the Companies Act of 2006 to be exempt from producing an AUDITED financial statement, and qualified to produce (as I recall; check yourself if curious!) abbreviated reports. Sounds like tax-exempt 990-N filers in the US in some respects). It lists itself as controlling 100% of ‘ADR Group Limited” in 2012 — not mentioned, at some point that group was “dormant” and only held one share (!).. “I.D.R.” probably stands for “International Dispute Resolution” but that’s just a guess.

Civil Mediation Council (“CMC”) is referenced on the ADR Group pages. See annotated images above.  Notice it’s at “The International Dispute Resolution Centre” on 70 Fleet Street, London..

*This nifty new feature at the UK Companies database search site lists what other company appointments specific people have had, and shows here he’s on or has been on also the Civil Mediation Council (mentioned above at ADRg), Family Mediation Council, another one with the name ‘Ambassador” but former name “ADRg Amassador” (make a wild guess what its purposes was), etc.  He qualified as “solicitor” in 1995.

Schiffer as of 2017 statements is listed as Finance Director of CMC (which is small enough to be exempt from producing audited accounts, it seems).  Offices are in Fleet Street London, at an “International Centre for Dispute Resolution” (see nearby image).

Dates Incorporated:  IDR Europe — 1989; ADR Group — 1993, Family Mediation Council – only in 2015; Solicitors Family Law Association (“Resolution – Family First”) – 2004.

Such terms as “small company,” micro-enterprise, “dormant”  etc. come up in the various filings. I didn’t look at the other members of “FMC” but see that  of the above group, “Resolution” is most “flush.”  Probably because it’s a membership group of solicitors! FMC is “private company limited by shares” and each of the six above-listed member associations (in its incorporation paperwork) guaranteed up to “GPB10” in payment of debts.

Checking the website above, the plain “ADRGroup.co.uk” led to an entirely different site, with “Welcome” in many languages, and the MicroSoft Windows logo.  It had nothing to do with #9 – FamilyCouncil’s six members incl. “IDR Europe Ltd (ADR Group) + “Resolution”

Searching by name for the correct website (which I’d been reading, as seen above, just yesterday, in writing this page), I found a ripoff report from a woman in Texas, about threats to her if she didn’t pay a bill she claimed had already been paid.   ADR Group Alternative Dispute Resolution Group Threatened to sue me or put a judgment on my credit report if I did not pay Nationwide While this is a different situation (apparently related to Nationwide’s ADR Group) you can see what direction the ADR could be used for collections.  How odd to choose exactly the same name for the UK entity.

OFW® digital platform/ product of the company “AVIRAT, Inc.”  [Offices in Minnesota,USA & London] is already linking to ADRGroup, which was for many years dormant, holding only 1 share of “IDR Europe, Ltd.” which itself just went under (was given an administrator for “insolvency” just Dec. 2017, then sold to the previously nearly invisible, “ADR Group” for GBP 25,000 (divisible into SEVEN (7!) smaller installments, and under the control of the same person! (Mark Belton). Do the owners of OFW® care about such things? Or check them out at all, before directing an unsuspecting public to consume services?

Avirat Ltd. image/s from “CompaniesHouse” added Oct. 24, 2018. I see it was only registered in 2015, and (per 2016 statement of accounts) has a grand total of 1 share held by the US-based “Avirat, Inc.” and lists two American officers associated with the same, plus Redfern Legal, LLC as the UK-registered agent/”Secretary,” i.e., a 3rd officer administering a single private share (as of 2016) of Avirat, Inc.

AVIRAT Ltd (from CompaniesHouse, Overview Tab) ~2018Oct24Wed

AVIRAT Ltd (from CompaniesHouse /”People” tab~2018Oct24Wed)

AVIRAT Ltd (from CompaniesHouse/Shareholder Detail from 2016 Statemt: 1 share only, held by the US company Avirat, Inc. (see bottom of the image) ~2018Oct24Wed

Footnote Disclaimer, which came up in the opening paragraphs, and due to the UK connections, I feel still relevant to repeat, although it’s personal in nature:

Disclaimer Religious-Endorsed Battering, Individual Household + related Gangs(ters):

I do not endorse this rationale, but did experience not only being battered as a wife, by my husband, and as a facet of his “head of household” status, allegedly (this behavior) based on some rationale within the Bible, and I am more than a witness over many years of the “laissez-faire” attitude taken by observers, religious and non-religious both, over this situation. I experienced and understood at the time, but without the knowledge or access to the power to fully withstand it, how Christian (so-called) men, including married, pastors, etc., would and did band together to validate this behavior, and discourage/deflect/minimize my own reporting of threats to kill, kidnap (followed through on eventually), attempts to obstruct activities I was entitled to as a human being and civilian and productive participant (whether working for income, married, or supporting his work and our children’s well-being, including their education).

At times during this marriage, a man with dubious (i.e., known criminal) background from out of state was flown in, by my ex, into our home to stay there while I was working full-time nights! to “advise” and “counsel” us on the marriage, which by then was in major trouble, primarily because of my continued resistance to being battered (!) and other forms of abuse, escalating over time.  I knew this man’s wife previously and called her at the time to protest.  The counsel was primarily on how I should better submit to and trust my husband. I knew at the time that his own wife had been unable to trust him; the second time this occurred, I took necessary protective (checking legal obligations) measures to, with our daughters, vacate the home until assured he was gone.

One of those is, having earned income, actually depositing it into a checking account with my name on it (there being no “joint” one ever during the marriage). Or, having obtained credit separately, before marriage, RETAIN it, in my name. Another includes voting.  Others include reasonable sharing of household resources (like access to transportation), and involvement socially outside ONLY the household, i.e., to maintain friendships.

I cannot say in strong enough terms how WRONG the “Family Justice Center” model is to continue “reaching out” to develop alliances with religious leaders in the course of stopping domestic violence and wife-battering + child abuse.  Do these really not understand WHO they are dealing with?  Or is political points (for example, if some supposedly feminist, secular leadership is showing itself friendly, conciliatory and not so radical, by involving these) more important that staying on point?

Remember in which Administration some of the most sexist policies were enacted — whether Democrat or Republican, I notice these presidents so far have all been men, and those policies have remained, to discredit single mothers and women reporting abuse of themselves or their children, and discrediting (us) both blatantly AND covertly through social services, and with women involved in the speechmaking, too.

//LGH Feb. 2, 2018.

Footnote “Family Initiative” (UK company limited by guarantee formed only 2016 with some interesting international connections and purposes). See its financial statements in pdf format above, and these sample images, just a few (mostly referencing Michael Lamb & “Fatherhood Global” after pointing out the involvement also of Californian couple “The Cowans” with major fatherhood focus. Again, “Family” translates, for the most part, into “Fatherhood” and has for some decades now, officially…. One is “code” for the other. Mothers fit in there somewhere, but we are apparently too “favored” by government and the world must be rebalanced in the opposite direction — for a generation or two, or now three — to set things “right” again. Especially after women with children started exiting marriages because of abuse, and the church because of coverup of abuse….

FAMILY INITIATIVE (CO limited by guarantee #10445272 formed Oct 2016)

FAMILY INITIATIVE …#10445272 formed Oct 2016) working w|the Cowans (UCBerkeley, focus “Fatherhood”) + Michael Lamb (Yale grad, psychologist at UCambridge, “The Science of Fatherhd|Fatherhood Global).. (same Michael Lamb who publ. alongside R. Warshak??)

Family Initiative Articles of Inc 1st Director listed (Richard Eric Wightman) a Church Leader)

Michael E. Lamb on “FatherhoodGlobal” website, viewed 2018Oct22

Michael E. Lamb on “FatherhoodGlobal” website, viewed 2018Oct22

Michael Lamb (Wiki) doesn’t say much but shows fatherhood focus and expert witness testimony (Calif Prop 8 & more).  See Klaus Jacobs, founder of Zurich-based “Jacobs Foundation” (heir to coffee business, later moved it to Zurich, bought to companies (incl. “Tobler” chocolates), sold his shares in the latter, etc.)

LinkedIn (partial) for Duncan Fisher OBE (Cambridge U 1980s grad) originally started Voices In The Middle project 2006 til it moved to Family Initiative), listed at”FatherhoodGlobal” website, viewed 2018Oct22

Added Tue. Oct 23, 2018, just for a better sense of where decision to sponsor “Fatherhood.Global” may’ve been generated, i.e., at (Jacobs-Foundation-Owned) Marbach Castle. Don’t miss the historic Marbach Castle history timeline and multiple ownership transitions (a number of times it was burnt down & rebuilt) from the 1200s – 2012!).

In searching for this nice conference spot and that Summit, I also noticed other (some, upcoming) “Fatherhood Summits” in the USA (2018, 2019). Pay attention to these as public funds are usually involved before, during and after at least as to the programming, and often to the career history of some of the experts…

Above images and next link: I also looked through financials (at the end) and programming (front section) of this Apr2017 (url) Jacobs Foundation “Our Promise to Youth” Annual Report FYE 2016 and 2015.  They are into “RCTs” on disadvantaged children ages 0 – 7 with control groups (in Switzerland), working with Early Childhood programs in various countries, including “Cote d’Ivoire” with the Bernard van Leer Foundation (searchable on this blog because of its contributions to a Greenbook Initiative (also searchable) listed partner, “Education Development Foundation” or similar name.