Separation and Divorce Specialty

All RFMs must meet one of the following four education and experience descriptions:

1.   A Law degree or a Master-level degree in one of the following: Psychology, Social Work, Education, Mediation, Conflict Resolution or other related field (such as Sociology, Criminology, Nursing);

plus

25 hours of mediation experience; or

2.   Bachelor-level degree in one of the following: Psychology, Social Work, Education, Mediation, Conflict Resolution or other related field (such as Sociology, Criminology, Nursing

plus

minimum 100-hour Conflict Resolution Training with Skills Assessment* and/or two Letters of Reference** 

plus

25 hours of mediation experience; or

3.   Bachelor-level degree (in anything) or related Diploma (Social Work, Education, Corrections, Paralegal) plus Minimum 200-hour Conflict Resolution Training with Skills Assessment* and/or two Letters of Reference**

plus

75 hours of mediation experience (co-mediating, shadowing a qualified mediator, volunteer mediation, mentorship); or

4.   Minimum 250-hour Conflict Resolution Training with Skills Assessment and/or two reference letters from a professional in a related field

plus

100 hours of mediation experience.

Mediators who also practice collaborative law may use their collaborative law experience to maintain their RFM status but must initially qualify for this designation by undertaking mediation cases.

*A program with Skills Assessment would be a role play, exam and/or evaluation.

**From a professional in a related field; must use provided form.

In addition to, or as part of, the above qualifications, all Registered Family Mediators must have completed generic conflict resolutions courses, totalling a minimum of 40 hours, which have covered all of the following areas:

• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Interest-based Mediation
• Mediation Skills

(Please note that AFMS puts on a 40 hour Basic Mediation course but courses from many other institutions are suitable.  The Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA) course "Mediation of Family & Divorce Conflicts" is NOT a Basic Mediation course but is instead considered "Specialized Mediation Training" for C below.  All levels of mediator, members with AFMS require a Basic Mediation course.)

All RFMs applying for a specialty in Separation and Divorce must complete an additional 40 hours of specialized training covering all the following subject areas:

• Advanced mediation skills

• Advanced communication skills

• Advanced negotiation skills

• Advanced mediation skills: Including Interest-based, Transformative, Insight, Therapeutic, Shuttle

• Cultural awareness /sensitivity 

• Inclusivity /diversity 

• High conflict mediation

• Pre-mediation/Intake sessions (approaches, forms)

• Screening for family violence/partner abuse and power imbalance

• Child stages and development as related to separation and divorce

• Interviewing children (approaches, forms)

• Child(ren)’s rights

• Parenting Plans (theories, approaches, such as: co-parenting and parallel parenting, to utilize communication and scheduling plans)

• Child Support Guidelines

• Property, Pension and Tax Law

• Spousal Support (Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines)

• Parenting After Separation (PAS) course

• Provincial and Federal Legislation, case law as it applies to separation and divorce

• Awareness of collaborative professionals

• Drafting mediation reports 

• Knowledge and application of AFMS Code of Professional Conduct and ethics/liabilities and standards of practice

 

RFM candidates must submit copies of three (3) real mediation reports (with identifying details omitted) demonstrating the results of Separation and Divorce mediations. These reports should, between them, demonstrate a knowledge and competency in dealing with all of the common issues arising in divorce and separation, namely:

• The division of property, assets, and debts
• The creation of parenting plans
• The calculation of child support
• The determination of spousal support

It is AFMS policy that our mediators do not prepare agreements for client signature. The reports should have a clear indication that the provisional agreements reached by the clients are subject to their obtaining independent legal advice (ILA) and will be non-binding until incorporated into a formal signed agreement. Reports should be signed by the mediator.

Please note that the results of Collaborative Law files do not qualify as Mediation Reports.

All RFMs must submit evidence of applicable malpractice insurance coverage for Alberta.

All RFMs specializing in the area of Separation and Divorce must complete a minimum of 50 hours of mediation per year in this area. (Please note that Collaborative Law files qualify for the activity requirement.)

In addition, RFMs must complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education in this specialty area every two years.