Family practitioners welcome mediators quality mark plan
Family practitioners this week welcomed plans for a government quality mark for family and community dispute mediators, but warned that the standard of applicants would have to be carefully monitored.Lawyers will be able to apply to the Legal Services Commission (LSC) for the quality mark to show that they meet nationally recognised standards of service and expertise.
It is being developed by the LSC and the Law Society among others.Rosemary Carter, chairman of the Solicitors Family Law Association (SFLA), said: While we have always encouraged mediation, it is very different from arbitration and litigation, and it is essential that mediators are properly trained and supervised.
The SFLA runs its own training programme for mediators, and Ms Carter emphasised that the governments scheme should be of an equal standard.Victoria MacCallum
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