Child Development and the Impact of Family Breakdown on Children and Young People
How an understanding of theory elevates practice: a CPD course for family mediators on child development and bringing the child's voice and agency into the room.
Course Synopsis
When a family breaks down, a mediator's job is about more than just splitting assets or ticking boxes on a schedule. To be truly effective, we have to understand the child's lived experience. This course helps you move beyond basic bargaining to see how separation actually feels for the children involved.
We will explore the five core pillars of child development. While these theories provide a vital map for our work, they are only one piece of the puzzle. The heart of this course is the understanding that there is no single universal childhood. Every child is an active participant in their own life, a legitimate knower who understands their world in a way adults often miss.
By the end of this programme, you will have the skills to bring the child's unique voice and agency into the room, helping parents move away from conflict and towards decisions that respect their child's reality.
Course Details
For: Accredited mediators, or mediators working towards accreditation (WTAs) with sufficient practice experience to contribute to case discussions
Prerequisites: Completion of family mediation training and sufficient practice experience
Delivery: Online
Duration: 5 hours (one day)
Group size: Minimum 5, maximum 8
CPD: 5 hours (5 CPD points), with a CPD certificate of completion
Next dates: Autumn 2026
Register Your Interest
Places are limited to eight participants per cohort. Contact us to register your interest for the next course.
Child Development and the Impact of Family Breakdown on Children and Young People
Authors
Student Feedback
We had been in dispute with the council for over a year. The mediator helped both sides actually listen. We reached agreement in one session.
Parent, West Midlands
I did not think mediation would work, but the mediator was so knowledgeable about the process. We got the provision our son needed.
Parent, London
Outstanding course content and delivery. The practical examples really helped me understand complex concepts.
Client, Manchester
Course Authors
Lucy Jethwa
Lucy is a family mediator with a particular interest in child-centred practice. She co-delivers our professional development training on child development and the impact of family breakdown, helping mediators bring the child's voice into the room.
Marilyn Webster
Marilyn trained as a family mediator in 1991 and has practised continuously since. Her SEN work predates the 2001 Code of Practice: she sat on the regional working party that helped draft its mediation sections, and in 2001 delivered in-house SEND mediation training to one of the first regional SEND mediation services. For close to twenty years she has served on working groups and boards of national mediation organisations, pressing for practice standards across the profession. At Prime Resolution she leads the development and delivery of our training, runs supervision and professional practice consultancy for our mediators, and coaches trainees to accreditation.
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