Mediators who want to work with clients who are separating or divorcing need to understand how to manage a separation or divorce mediation from the time of initial contact to understanding legislation to creating plans and mediated agreements.
This course covers the components of creating a parenting plan including how to write up a mediated agreement, how to use the federal and provincial child support legislation and tables, and the impact of parental conflict and violence on the well‐being of children.
Students will be able to understand and manage emotional intensity and challenges specific to this area of practice. This course prepares mediators to manage a separation or divorce mediation from the time of initial contact, to creation of a mediated agreement, including parenting plans and child support.
Who Should Take This Course?
Experienced mediators and advanced mediation students interested in working in the field of separation and divorce.
What Will I Learn and What Skills Will I Gain?
- Know what provincial and federal legislation governs separation and divorce, with a focus on Alberta legislation
- Understand the issues separating couples commonly need to resolve
- Examine the services available to help couples with their separation and divorce and the advantages and disadvantages of each
- Understand the ethical considerations at play in bringing people together for what can be highly emotional discussions around life changing events
- Explore the emotional impact of separation and divorce on couples and families
- Understand the importance of preparing divorcing or separating parties for mediation, including considering what information they might need to make sound decisions
- Know what elements need to be included in an Agreement to Mediate for this type of mediation
- Consider safety issues when mediating in the context of domestic violence
- know how to screen clients and prepare them for mediation, including safe practices for identifying and working with situations of domestic violence
- How to put safety procedures in place
- Understand what is meant by custody, access, parenting time, and decision-making
- Understand the needs of children at different ages, and the impact of parental conflict on their well-being and development
- Implement federal and provincial child support legislation and tables
- Understand factors impacting child support, both base support (Section 3) and special expenses (Section 7)
- Calculate child support based on different circumstances
- Understand common myths about children during separation and divorce
- Practice mediating a discussion about parenting plans in role-play scenarios
- Critically examine a parenting plan in a Mediated Agreement
What Can I Expect in Class?
This course includes lectures, personal reflection, video, watching a mock mediation, and group discussion. Emphasis is placed on practicing skills and role-playing in small groups.
This class is presented online and consists of 8 sessions over 4 weeks:
Week 1: three sessions (3 consecutive days)
Week 2: two sessions (2 consecutive days)
Week 3: three sessions (3 consecutive days)
Class times: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm daily
Students should be prepared to dedicate 3-4 hours for pre-course assignments. This course requires approximately 3 hours of course work before each session.
Attendance for all 8 sessions and completion of all assignments (approximately 8 hours) is mandatory to receive full credit hours (47 credit hours).
What Are the Pre-Requisites?
Learners must have successfully completed Communications in ADR and the National Introductory Mediation Training (or equivalent training) prior to registering in this course.
Before session 3, all students need to have completed the Parenting After Separation course. This free training is a requirement of the Separation & Divorce Mediation: Foundations, Parenting Plans, and Child Support course.
Please note: the Parenting After Separation for Families in High Conflict course is recommended, but not required.
What Are the Costs & Other Details?
The fee for this course is $2000 plus GST.
Full attendance for all days of training is mandatory.
Where Can I Go from Here?
This is one of three courses required to qualify for the Certificate in Separation and Divorce Mediation.
The certificate program consists of three courses:
- Separation & Divorce Mediation: Foundations, Parenting Plans, and Child Support
- Separation & Divorce Mediation: Spousal Support and Division of Property
- High Conflict Mediation: Managing Conflict & Complexity in Mediation
Full course attendance of all three courses is required to qualify for the Certificate.
