Mediation Involving Children 
Child Inclusive practice allows for consultation without placing any burden of decision making on the child.
In 2004/5 the Service developed and implemented the following model of Child Inclusive Mediation (based on research from Australia) -
- Both parents must be engaged in the mediation process
- Both parents need to give consent for the child(ren) to be invited to meet with a mediator
- Both parents must accept that there may be no feedback after the meeting
- Children are seen at an early stage in the mediation process after the 1st or 2nd joint meeting
- A different mediator works with the children, wherever possible, and agrees with the children what will be fed back to the parents
- Feedback is given, by the mediator who saw the children, to the parents on a different day, the mediator working with the parents will also be there.
MEDIATORS who work with the children are all trained to talk with children and have a relevant career background as well as being CRB checked.
From the mediators perspective, when the model works it has the following impact -
- Feedback encourages honesty
- Children benefit in their own right
- Feedback results in a change of focus for parents
- Defuses arguments
- Reduces blaming
The children of 42 families have been involved in the mediation process since January 2006 and in each case it has proved to be a positive experience for the children and useful for the parents.
Mediation is the preferred pathway for resolving issues about you child/children following a relationship breakdown
Click on Client Views to see what parents have said about involving their children in mediation.
