Mediation in Juvenile Dependency Court: Multiple Perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACTFor approximately 10 years, the Santa Clara County (Calif.),1 Juvenile Dependency Court has utilized confidential mediation as an integral part of the court process. After hundreds of mediation sessions, we believe it is time for the various participants in the dependency system to reflect on their perspectives on mediation, its strengths and weaknesses, and its future in our court system. Each author, representing a different party or interest in the child welfare system, has a unique perspective on the process. We hope this information will be useful for other jurisdictions utilizing or considering implementing mediation.Beginning with a description of dependency mediation and the mediation process utilized in Santa Clara County, representatives from each participant in the juvenile dependency process–including the mediators, the social worker, the attorney for the family and children's services agency, the child's attorney, the parents, the parents' attorney, a domestic violence advocate, the child advocate (CASA), and the juvenile court judicial officer–follow with their perspectives on mediation. The article concludes with some general thoughts about mediation, its value, its problems, and its future in Santa Clara County.