NCJ Number
101264
Journal
Mediation Quarterly Issue: 11 Dated: (March 1986) Pages: 83-92
Date Published
1986
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the Lothian Conciliation Service (LCS), the model for four other programs now operational or under development in Scotland, and elaborates on the role of children in the conciliation process.
Abstract
The LCS is an independent, voluntary agency, with 60 percent State funding. In addition to two consultants, the staff includes a coordinator, secretary, and four part-time conciliators. Conciliators have completed an 8-week training program. The LCS has served as a model for other services in Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Dundee and Tayside, and the Central Region. Divorce conciliation at the LCS is viewed as a process through which a third-party mediator helps a couple or family reach an amicable agreement over contentious issues resulting from marital breakdown, with particular attention to child-related matters. When involving children in conciliation, attention is paid to the impact of divorce on the child, providing feedback to parents on the results of interviews with the child, obtaining the child's and parents' permission for directly involving the child, and setting a clear agenda for the involvement of the child. Involvement of children in the mediation process can help parents refocus their thinking on child-related and future issues, while providing a safe place for children to express their fears and receive answers to their questions. In addition, children who are being manipulated by the parents or in need of therapy can be identified. Advantages of involving children are illustrated in a case study. 6 references.