NCJ Number
97696
Date Published
1984
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This workshop summary suggests a checklist of appropriate questions that should be covered in any discussion of family mediation, describes the present position of family mediation, and identifies ethical concerns from a social perspective.
Abstract
Among the questions identified are those relating to what family mediation is, how it works, what mediators do if they do not get clients, and how mediators maintain their impartiality. It is emphasized that family mediation is not just divorce mediation and that interest is growing in the field of parent-child mediation. Also discussed are (1) methods of bringing legal advice into mediation, (2) declining legal resistance to family mediation, and (3) advantages of mediation to the client. Three cases which illustrate wide discrepancies in the balance of power in family mediation, are presented. A developmental model with which to view the field of family mediation is provided. Three sets of social interest/public concern issues are identified: (1) community concerns, (2) professional concerns, and (3) client concerns. Also noted are family mediation's public responsibility and its need for broad community support. Six references are included.