<p>The purpose of the study was to increase the understanding of, and extend the knowledge about realization of mediations and its consequences on family law divisions and family centres. Within this area, organisational, methodical, relational and social preventative aspects of mediations were illustrated. This scope was judged to be of major importance, as recent studies show that children often suffer psychologically due to parents’ lack of cooperation. Mediations are considered as a way of getting parents to agree. To fulfil the purpose, six qualitative interviews were conducted, three on each function. A multidimensional tool for interpretation was used, containing organization analysis, social constructionist theories, system theories with focus on roles, and a cognitive perspective. Several important circumstances concerning mediations could be identified, like the importance of flexibility and voluntariness, focus on the children, combination of mediations and complimentary parental support and also the importance of meeting families on an early stage. The results showed that mediations are a preventative way of working with families with children, and that family centres are considered to have greater possibilities of designing mediations according to the above-mentioned circumstances. Furthermore it was showed that mediations are a functional way of recreating the characteristic of the nuclear family triad mother-father-child.</p>

The purpose of the study was to increase the understanding of, and extend the knowledge about realization of mediations and its consequences on family law divisions and family centres. Within this area, organisational, methodical, relational and social preventative aspects of mediations were illustrated. This scope was judged to be of major importance, as recent studies show that children often suffer psychologically due to parents’ lack of cooperation. Mediations are considered as a way of getting parents to agree. To fulfil the purpose, six qualitative interviews were conducted, three on each function. A multidimensional tool for interpretation was used, containing organization analysis, social constructionist theories, system theories with focus on roles, and a cognitive perspective. Several important circumstances concerning mediations could be identified, like the importance of flexibility and voluntariness, focus on the children, combination of mediations and complimentary parental support and also the importance of meeting families on an early stage. The results showed that mediations are a preventative way of working with families with children, and that family centres are considered to have greater possibilities of designing mediations according to the above-mentioned circumstances. Furthermore it was showed that mediations are a functional way of recreating the characteristic of the nuclear family triad mother-father-child.