Improperly trained Australian Family Mediators can cause harm.
Family mediators play an important role in helping families in Australia resolve disputes related to family law, such as separation, divorce, child custody, and property division. However, if mediators are improperly trained, they can cause harm in several ways:
- Failure to provide appropriate support: If a mediator is improperly trained, they may fail to provide appropriate support to families during the mediation process. This can lead to families feeling unsupported, frustrated, and unheard, which can exacerbate the conflict and harm their mental health.
- Misapplication of the law: Family mediators are expected to have a good understanding of family law in Australia. If a mediator is not properly trained in the law, they may misapply the law, leading to unfair or inappropriate outcomes for one or both parties.
- Inadequate understanding of power imbalances: Mediators must be aware of power imbalances between the parties involved in mediation, such as when one party has more resources or is in a more powerful position. If a mediator is improperly trained in this area, they may not recognize the power imbalances or may not know how to address them, which can lead to unfair outcomes.
- Failure to ensure safety: Mediators have a duty to ensure the safety of all parties involved in the mediation process. If a mediator is improperly trained, they may not be able to identify safety concerns, such as family violence or child abuse, and may not take appropriate action to address these concerns.
- Lack of cultural competence: Mediators should have cultural competence, which means they should have an understanding of the cultural backgrounds of the families they are working with. If a mediator is improperly trained in this area, they may not understand or respect cultural differences, leading to further conflict and harm.
In summary, improperly trained Australian family mediators can cause harm by failing to provide appropriate support, misapplying the law, inadequately addressing power imbalances, failing to ensure safety, and lacking cultural competence. Proper training is essential to ensure that family mediators can effectively support families in resolving their disputes.
The Mediator Training Academy’s CHC81115 Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution is written by an Academic Advisory Board which contains some of the most experienced mediators, teachers and writers in Australia. Please click here to see the Awards won by the Mediator Training Academy.
For more information, contact The Mediator Training Academy
Phone: 1300 633 428
