Our Team
Vivienne Hudson - Administrator & Director
Vivienne was born and educated in Durham and initially trained as a Legal Secretary, working for a number of years in family and criminal law in Durham. Vivienne has been a member of the Stepping Stones team since 2001 and has helped develop the practice.
Having been a member of the team for so many years, she is particularly experienced in dealing with those going through conflict and difficult times.
Vivienne will usually be your first point of contact. She will explain what the mediation process involves and answer answer any questions you may have. She is usually the person to speak to between mediation sessions for any queries or concerns.
Jenny Benn - Mediator & Director
Jenny is an experienced mediator, having been accredited for 15 years and trained with National Family Mediation. She has a psychiatric social work background, working for many years in hospitals and the community.
Jenny is a trained presenter in both Separated Parents information Programme (SPIPS) as well as Resolutions Parenting after Parting Programme. She is a qualified Family Group Conferencing Coordinator and she is committed to helping separated families find long term sustainable solutions together in the interests of their children. She believes parents know their children better than any judge and has confidence in their ability to resolve disputes through mediation rather than costly court proceedings.
Jenny has a special interest in child contact matters and parenting whilst living apart.
Caroline Goorney - Mediator & Director
Caroline qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and specialised in family law for many years, both in the Midlands and the North-East where she ran her own specialist family and collaborative law practice.
Her experience in the legal sector has led Caroline to believe that in many cases the court process may not always be the best forum to decide on family arrangements. Caroline trained as a mediator with Resolution in 1997 and has been an accredited All-Issues Mediator since 2001 including Child-Inclusive Mediation.
Having worked with mediation services in Sunderland and Newcastle for several years, Caroline was delighted to join the Stepping Stones’ team in 2014, where she continues to mediate all-issues cases, including property, finance and arrangements for children.