Family Mediation in the Basque Country: Strengths and Risks

Abstract

This paper will show a picture of the family mediation in Basque Country, both at courts and out of courts. On one hand, family mediation started with a pilot project in Bilbao in 1996 and two decades later it is offered in every province of Basque Country (Ministry of Social Affairs). After 20 years working in this field we have observed some strengths and risks we would like to share and to think about them. On the other hand, regarding mediation at courts, since 2007 the Basque Government (Ministry of Labour and Justice) decided to improve Restorative Justice (RJ) in the Basque Country by Victim Offender Mediation Services at criminal courts of the main cities. Since 2011, we realized that many other proceedings are very suitable to be solved by RJ in some civil matters and we started providing mediation in family matters of divorces and separations with children involved.