Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T07:24:14.680Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The pre-hearing convenor: A skilled practitioner chairing conferences in the Children's Court of Victoria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2016

Anne Markiewicz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An evaluation of pre-hearing conferences in the Children's Court of Victoria was carried out during 1994 by five members of staff from the School of Social Work at the University of Melbourne. An interesting theme which emerged from this evaluation is the role of the convenor as pivotal to the process of the pre-hearing conference. The convenor has emerged as a critical figure in the success of the mediation process, and the knowledge, skills, and values they are equipped with are seen as essential to their effective operation. This article describes the role of convenors and the many responsibilities they must juggle in fulfilling their role, and the characteristics which make for an effective and successful conference. As conferences become a more frequent method of resolving conflict between individuals, families and society, it is hoped that the principles which emerge from this article will be applied to other conference proceedings. It is clear that we are moving away from conventional adversarial methods, to mediative and conciliative modes, and in doing so we need to become clear about the characteristics which are required for such processes. This is one exploratory study of a pilot project in Victoria which should be of interest to other conferencing and mediation mechanisms.

Type
Research Article
Information
Children Australia , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , 1996 , pp. 22 - 28
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Association of Social Workers Ltd 1994, Australian social work competency standards for entry level social workers, ACT.Google Scholar
Bagshaw, D. 1995, ‘Mediating family disputes in statutory settings’, Australian Social Work, 48(4), December, pp. 3–12.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Community Services Victoria 1993a, Addendum to evaluation agreement.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Community Services Victoria 1993b, Pre-hearing conferences: Guidelines for child protection staff.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Community Services Victoria 1993c, Pre-hearing conferences: Rationale and guidelines for practice.Google Scholar
De Maria, W 1992, ‘Social work and mediation: Hemlock in the flavour of the month” Australian Social Work, 45(1), March, pp. 17–281 Google Scholar
Folberg, J. & Taylor, A. 1984, Mediation: A comprehensive guide to resolving conflict without litigation, Jossey- Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Kressell, K., Pruitt, D.G. & Associates (eds.) 1989, Mediation Research, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Lagay, B., Campbell, L., Markiewicz, A., Murray, H., & Swain, P. 1994, ….To seek the best possible outcomes: An evaluation of a pilot program of pre-hearing conferences in the Family Division of the Children's Court of Victoria Google Scholar
Maresca, J. 1995, ‘Mediating child protection cases’, Child Welfare, Vol. LXXIV No.3, pp. 731–742.Google Scholar
Melbourne Children's Court 1993, Your court case: Pre-hearing conferences. Google Scholar
Pruitt, D., & Carnevale, P. 1993, Negotiation in social conflict, Buckingham, UK, Open University Press.Google Scholar
Savoury, G., Beals, H., & Parks, J. 1995, ‘Mediation in child protection: Facilitating the resolution of disputes, Child Welfare, Vol. LXXIV No. 3, pp. 743–762 Google Scholar
Scott, D., Lindsay, J., & Jackson, A. 1995, ‘The child protection case conference: Juggling rights, risks and responsibilities, Children Australia, 20(1), pp. 4–12.Google Scholar