This study analyzes the initial outcomes of child-informed mediation in cases where at least one child is age five or older. For this study, researchers examined 47 cases that were randomly to either mediation as usual (MAU), child-inclusive (CI), or child-focused (CF) mediation. The study examined the frequency of re-litigation across the three types of mediation and explored associations between re-litigation and the content of the mediation agreements.
They found that both child-informed processes (CI and CF) resulted in fewer motions, orders and hearings in the two years following case resolution than did mediation as usual. Additionally, researchers found that agreements that addressed issues such as parental communication and interparental conflict were less likely to return to court than cases with agreements that did not address those issues. A comparison between child-focused mediation and child-involved mediation also showed that parents who participated in the latter were less likely to return to court. Researchers note that the study is limited by a small sample size and not having access to the full case records.
Please note this resource is online but is behind a paywall and requires a subscription to access.