A Study on the Competence of Taiwan Social Workers Participation in Judicial Family Mediation

• Main Authors: HO, CHEN-YU, 何振宇
• Other Authors: TSENG, HUA-YUAN
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/47wjd3

博士 === 東海大學 === 社會工作學系 === 106 === Taiwan’s government has required all divorce cases to go through the family mediation processes following the implementation of Family Act in 2012. The process is assisted mainly by family mediators from different professional backgrounds such as social work, psychology, law, medicine, education and many others. However, what competencies are needed for these members to manage cases properly is worth further study. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the necessary competencies of family mediators, working in district courts across Taiwan, who are engaged in family mediation for couples with minor children at home in divorcing process or related issues. Delphi method is used in this study, including general interview guide approaches, and structured questionnaires administered 3 times, the study analyzed data conducted with 12 participants, senior social workers with more than 3 years experiences offering family mediation service in courts. The paper concludes with three points as follows: 1.Professional knowledge, skills and value are key elements of building the necessary competencies of social workers who participating in family mediation. 2.The entire process of completing competencies needed for family mediators go through three stages. 3.Appropriate training programs for the social workers involving in family mediation are to be organized by different levels and aspects. . Finally, the article makes suggestions to four sectors as follows: 1.To the judicial authority: the study suggests to expand the pre-employment training programs for the family mediators, to construct the members’ on-job trainings and supervisory systems as well as to adjust professional background ratio of the members. 2.To the social welfare department, the study recommends the regulatory body to support using family mediation as one of the important preventive measures, and to provide assistance services for divorced couples with minor children. 3.To academic units of social work, suggestions are to enhance interdisciplinary thinking and cooperative skills; to improve competencies required for judicial family mediation, and to provide professional supervisory trainings. 4.Finally, suggestions to practice units of social work are to participate in and promote family mediation services outside the court.