| From Mr Bob Richardson
Sir, Taking the blame and the concept of fault out of divorce can often
be good for children.
Similarly, high-quality mediation is usually good for everyone. The
best family mediators deliver outstanding results; some are not as
effective, but it would be wrong to write off alternative dispute
resolution because standards for all have not yet been raised to the
levels of the best.
Family mediators should have to subject themselves to external scrutiny
— as indeed many already do. As one who achieves very high levels of
success in mediation, I welcome rigour within an infant profession that
has struggled to regulate itself and overcome prejudice and resistance in
the press and amongst its own disparate membership.
Mediation, as practised by the most accomplished practitioners, is
usually much cheaper than contested divorce, is normally quicker and helps
to maintain a focus on children and the benefits of shared parenting, when
acrimonious proceedings can destroy them.
All family mediators encourage their clients to seek legal advice
before they commit themselves to legally binding agreements and it is
inconceivable that this should not be the norm.
richardsonc@aol.com
December 19th 2000.
Courtesy of
The Times Newspaper.
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