Mediating Child Custody Disputes

DONALD T. SAPOSNEK is a clinical-child psychologist, director of Family Mediation Service of Santa Cruz, California, and a psychology faculty at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is on the editorial boards of the Mediation Quarterly and the Family and Conciliation Courts Review, and he is the editor of the Academy of Family Mediators' Mediation News.

• PERSPECTIVES ON CHILD CUSTODY MEDIATION. Mediation as a Cooperative Problem-Solving Approach. The Needs of Children Through Divorce. Attitudes and Skills Needed for Effective Mediation. The Strategic Approach: Aikido as a Model for Mediation. STRUCTURING THE MEDIATION PROCESS. Beginning Mediation: Setting the Context for Negotiations. Phases of Mediation: From Gathering Information to ReachingAgreements. Drafting the Mediation Agreement. STRATEGIES USED BY CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND MEDIATORS.Parents'Motives and Methods in Custody Disputes. Strategies for Eliciting Cooperation Between Parents. Skills and Techniques for Managing Conflict. TWO CASE STUDIES. Case Study #1: A Less Complex Case. Case Study #2: A More Complex Case. CHALLENGES AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES. Special Circumstances Affecting Mediation. Ethics, Values, and Morals in Mediation. Making Mediation Work: Recommendations for Mediators, Attorneys,and Judges. Appendix A: Uniform Standards Of Practice For Court Connected ChildCustody Mediation For the State Of California. Appendix B: Academy of Family Mediators Standards Of Practice ForFamily And Divorce Mediation. Appendix C: Confidentiality Forms. Appendix D: Pre-Empting Statement Categories For Commencing ChildCustody Mediation. Appendix E: List Of Strategies Of Used By Spouses, Children, AndMediators. Appendix F: Sample Mediation Agreements.

"This book should be required reading for anyone who is beginningto mediate child custody disputes." (Mediation News) "The best book now available focused on the custody mediationprocess." (The Alternative Newsletter) "The seminal work in systems theory applied to mediation, this willbe invaluable to all practicing mediators as well as otherprofessionals involved in custody disputes." "This revised book is a gem. Saposnek's compassionate, ethical, andstrategic approach is carefully balanced with an in-depth knowledgeof families-- essential reference." (Janet R. Johnston, executivedirector, Judith Wallerstein Center for the Family in Transition,associate professor, Administration for Justice Department, SanJose State University) "Don Saposnek, one of the fellow pioneers in mediating childcustody disputes, has completely updated his classic work. This newedition contains valuable new case material gleaned over twentyyears of mediating these disputes. Many authors have written aboutmediation, but few have the depth and breadth of experience of DonSaposnek." (Hugh McIsaac, director, Family Court Services,Multnomah County Circuit Court, Portland, Oregon) "This classic guide has been thoroughly updated and enhanced. It isa must read for those becoming custody mediators and a helpfulreference for experienced mediators." (Jay Folberg, dean andprofessor of law, University of San Francisco School of Law andco-author, Divorce Mediation, Joint Custody and Shared Parenting,and Mediation)