An expert-mediated conciliation method for divorcing families with children has found success in Finland. The method was extended to all the country's district courts in 2014 after four courts first piloted the conciliation technique, which has risen greatly in popularity since being instated.
"About 70 percent of all disputes are directed to this conciliatory path, and 70 percent of those achieve successful compromises," says psychotherapy specialist Päivi Mäntylä-Karppinen. "These are the hard facts, but the successes are also valuable in other, non-measurable ways."
One such benefit, she says, is that parents ending their marriage are able to improve their communication skills within their families. A Ministry of Justice report cites the success rate at no less than 80 percent based on the testimonies of parents with cases in the conciliation system.
"Even those who did not end up striking mutually favourable deals were thankful for a peaceful environment in which to discuss their issues," Mäntylä-Karppinen says. "It helps both the parents and the children involved."
Increasingly many lawyers on board
Expert-mediated conciliation involves divorcing parents sitting down to discuss their disputes together with a court judge and a psychologist or social worker specialising in divorce. The peacemakers stay out of the judicial process if a deal ends up not being made.
Not many are yet aware of the system, but increasingly lawyers are offering the service to their clients in early stages of their cases.
"Lawyers wouldn't be recommending conciliation if it was bad for their clients," says lawyer Marjatta Onnela-Kariniemi. "This has now become the primary avenue when resolving child custody disputes, and it is suitable for all other divorce-related issues, too."
Cases involving violence or serious psychosocial concerns are still best left to the legal system alone, she says. Couples who file for the conciliation get their first meeting within about six weeks, which Onnela-Kariniemi notes is far quicker than a legal trial.
