NCJ Number
98042
Journal
Mediation Quarterly Issue: 4 Dated: (June 1984) Pages: 49-59
Date Published
1984
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The article provides a summary of the developmental, professional, and ethical issues considered in a series of divorce mediation symposia.
Abstract
The first symposium on standards and certification examined the need for a divorce mediation certification procedure. A discussion of issues resulted in the conclusion that, while development of a licensure procedure was premature, practice guidelines should be promulgated. In the second symposium, there was a presentation on applied ethics. Delegates then broke into four work groups to define ethical and professional issues. The first group considered ethical issues regarding the client, including underlying principles, definition of the client, client's rights, and conflicts. With respect to mediator issues, the second group viewed mediation as a process of conflict resolution involving multiple tasks such as division of assets and termination of dependency. They also held that mediation should be directed toward the establishment and support of relationships between children and parents and significant others. The third group considered the practice of mediation chronologically. The group recommended that the appropriateness of mediation be assessed, the process be explained, issues be defined and agreed upon, and a contract be developed. The last group discussed what the community needs to know about mediation and also considered interdisciplinary and professional issues. The recommendations set forth in these symposia will provide the basis for a set of practice parameters to be finalized and approved in May 1984.