NCJ Number
99284
Journal
Mediation Quarterly Issue: 8 Dated: (June 1985) Pages: 99-105
Date Published
1985
Length
7 pages
Annotation
After suggesting a developmental model from which to view the family-mediation profession, this paper identifies community, professional, and client concerns that must be addressed if family mediation is to be taken seriously as an emerging profession.
Abstract
In its initial stages, an emerging profession addresses issues of self-interest; for maturity to be achieved, the profession's orientation must shift from self-interest to issues of societal concern. Family mediation has already passed through the early developmental stages of self-interest and has begun to focus on public interest issues, such as ethics and standards. A critical area of community concern that must now be addressed is the distribution of care, i.e., the availability of mediation services to all socioeconomic groups. Another area of community concern requiring attention is the solicitation of public commitment to family mediation, based upon a broad program of public education. Professional concerns that must be addressed are the development of a client orientation, the creation of a mechanism for advanced training, and the use of a quality control system for proliferating training programs. Although client concerns are related to community and professional concerns, certain client issues require special attention, namely, the achievement of a balance of power between disputants and the identification of family disputes and couples not suited to mediation. Six references are listed.