Are mediators required to meet certain professional qualifications and standards?
There is not now, nor is there likely to be soon, a national standard required for mediators. In California, it is expected that eventually there will be a state standard that applies to mediators much as standards have been adopted for psychologists and other professional groups There is consensus in the field that even in this unregulated situation a responsible mediator has an ethical obligation to acquire sufficient training and experience before providing mediation services to clients. Guidance in the matter can be found in the report “Ensuring Competence and Quality in Dispute Resolution Practice,”1995, published by The Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution (SPIDR) located in Washington, D.C.
