Child Inclusive Mediation

Child Inclusive Mediation provides a means of giving older school age children and adolescents a voice in situations of family conflict.

Usually a highly qualified and experienced child consultant (qualified social worker or registered psychologist) is brought into the mediation specifically to interview the children and to ascertain their views.This takes place separately from the mediation and can involve the child consultant spending one or more sessions with the children.The child consultant works to develop a rapport with the children and to elicit their views on issues involving them as part of their family.

The role of the child consultant is usually separate from that of the mediator.

After completing the sessions with the children, the child consultant is invited into the mediation to provide feedback on the children's views to help the mediator and more importantly the parents by providing a voice for the children through an  independent and appropriately qualified person.

This way the children are not embroiled in the mediation proper, but are able to express their opinions and concerns.

Potentially the process cuts through the "he said.....she said" dilemma by going straight to the  young people involved so their views can be heard.

The process is designed to enable separated parents to engage as part of a child focused team seeking the children's best interests and optimally, will assist them to tailor a solution accordingly.

The process offers many benefits in the right circumstances, but is not suitable if the parents are not mature enough to hear what their children have to say without responding inappropriately.

It is unfortunate if children are not able to provide their views without being subjected to negative repercussions by one or other parent.

Ultimately, it is for the mediator to determine whether a dispute is suitable for a child  inclusive process.