Training of mediators

Contributed by Margaret Halsmith and current to 1 September 2005

At present there is no national or state accreditation scheme for mediators so it is essential that participants check the credentials of the agency and/or the person providing mediation. The exception is that family law mediators must meet and maintain the requirements of the Family Law Regulations.

Established training organisations, which focus on and, in some cases, assess mediation skills, include:

• LEADR: Association of Dispute Resolvers

• IAMA: Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators

• Relationships Australia WA (Inc)

• Centrecare.

The Western Australian universities offer courses in mediation, most of which focus on presenting and assessing academic theories and concepts of mediation, rather than applied mediation skills.