What is family mediation?
Family mediation is a process of conflict management originated within a family, carried out by the figure of a mediator, an impartial professional specialized in this type of crisis (psychologist, social worker…). The objective of mediation is to reach consensual decisions and fair agreements for the benefit of all parties involved in the conflict. To this end, the mediator offers assistance and guidance to the members affected by the family crisis, facilitating dialogue and communication to achieve a negotiation between all in the most harmonious way possible, avoiding emotional harm to the most fragile members of the family, such as children.
Why is family mediation performed?
Family mediation is performed to resolve a conflict arising from:
– Parental disagreements in a divorce, such as the child’s education or where the child will live.
– Disputes between parents and children.
– Disagreement between siblings for the care of relatives.
– Contact between grandparents and grandchildren.
– Family disputes over financial issues.
– Family disputes about family business issues.
– Communication problems between family members.
– Adoption and foster care issues.
This can be done both at the beginning of the dispute and in any of its phases, even when the judicial process has been initiated.
What does family mediation consist of?
Conflict resolution through family mediation is based on empowering the participants to make decisions, always implementing consensus among them. In a first session, mediation is described, the issues to be resolved are agreed upon and the necessary information to be provided by both parties is established. In future sessions, the opinion of experts, such as experts, lawyers, psychologists, etc., can be requested. The sessions will deal with the issues starting with establishing the point of view of the participants, the development of different options, joint negotiation and reaching agreements.
Preparation for family mediation
Before going to the family mediation it is important that both parts are conscious of the treatment to which they are going to go and that they do it voluntarily, since if they do not do it this way, it will be complicated that they arrive at some type of agreement. It is important that they are clear about the issues they want to resolve, as well as the information they can provide about them and the options they present. Care after the intervention After the mediation it is important that an agreement is reached and that a contract is drawn up containing the agreements that have been reached. This obliges both parties to comply with the contract, provided that it meets all formality requirements.