10/04/2022
Child Informed Mediation encourages the safe and indirect involvement of children in the Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) process, facilitated by a trained child specialist (Child Consultant) with the purpose to support both parents to
resolve their disputes, while keeping their child’s needs and interests as their key priority.
After separating, some parents may disagree about how they will parent their children. They may debate about how much time the children will spend with each parent, forms of discipline, or schooling and care arrangements. Child
Informed Mediation brings children’s views, perspectives, opinions and issues, related to their wellbeing, into the FDR process. Children have an independent interview to talk on their own to a person trained to understand their feelings
and views.
Rather than parents assuming and/or arguing over what each child needs, each child has a direct voice into the mediation room via a Child Consultant, who is a different person from the Mediator. Child consultants who work with families and particularly with children, have had specialist training and experience in this field. The FDR, between the
parents, is informed by the Child Consultant who, when appropriate, provides the parents with the child/ren’s perspective.
Child Informed Mediation helps to determine the best needs of the child/ren in a caring and supportive environment
and in support of the paramount consideration for parenting arrangements to be in the child’s best interests.
The role of the Child Consultant in FDR is a specialist role. The Child Consultant contributes to the parents being able to achieve better outcomes for their child/ren and, consequently, for themselves.
Learn more about Child Informed Mediations, including: How does it work? When is Child Informed Mediation Suitable? The Process &
The Cost here: www.stradbrokesdrc.com.au/resources-and-information
