Book Review

Mediation Skills and Strategies—A Practical Guide,

Tony Whatling,

London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2012, pp. xi 175, ISBN 978-1-84905- 299-3, £24.99 (p/b)

Mediation Skills and Strategies is a handy and accessible introduction to the world of mediation. Author Tony Whatling started out in social work before moving into a career in mediation and mediation training, apply- ing his craft in various contexts. As a result of his professional experience, he is able to give a clear overview of mediation and to highlight the intersects between mediation and various professions.

It is clear from the outset that mediation is very relevant to social work. Crucially, similar principles and values underpin both areas of work. This includes the expectation that the person using the service is acknowledged as the expert, which Whatling notes may be an alien concept for some professions. Like the social worker, the mediator is not expected to swing in like a super-hero to make everything right, they are there to support parties to find their own voices and solutions through social workers may also have the remit of providing or signposting resources if this is identified as one of the solutions.

Many of the skills presented by Whatling will feel familiar to a social work readership. These include active listening, questioning skills and effective summarising. Mediators need to know how to support warring parties to normalise their situations, to identify the concerns and goals that they have in common and to reframe issues to allow for creative thinking. Finally, Whatling explores how the mediator might manage interpersonal conflict and emotion. All of these skills make it more likely that a shared agreement can be reached.

The idealistic reader should, however, note Whatling’s observation that a successful outcome is only possible where there is a degree of empathy between parties. Without this, he warns that no amount of skill on the part of the mediator is likely to lead to a positive outcome.

Social work skills and tools may also supplement mediation; for example, many of the tools associated with person-centred planning would support the transparent approach that Whatling outlines as being central to effective mediation. It is clear, therefore, that mediation provides another string to the social work bow, whilst social work training provides a sound grounding for those wanting to move into mediation work.

It is important to highlight here that, whilst mediation and social work have a lot in common and may share some tools, they are distinct practices. Mediation has a different set of goals and focus to social work and, whilst there are several different approaches to mediation outlined in the book, all follow specific procedures. Whatling warns against mediators reverting to their primary profession in the course of providing mediation. He refers to his mentor Haynes, who gives the example that a mediator with a therapy background may inadvertently take on a therapeutic role (Haynes et al., 2004).

Whatling draws on expertise and wisdom borne of years of experience, and the discussions are supplemented by numerous case examples. Through these stories, Whatling brings the art of mediation alive and gives a helpfully realistic insight into how it might be used effectively. In places, however, reference to further research would have been a helpful addition. For example, generalisations and anecdotal evidence seemed to undermine some sections of the discussion on how communication differs between the genders. Given Whatling’s concluding comments on this subject, it may have been more useful to explore different communication styles regardless of gender.

Usefully, the book highlights how western culture has influenced the direction of mediation and, with this knowledge, how mediation might be adapted for more effective use across different cultures. For example, Whatling notes that mediation has historically been very solution focused, an individualistic approach which may neglect context and emotional impact. The discussion includes a succinct overview of culturally sensitive practice, helpful to social workers and mediators alike.

Overall, this book provides a sound snapshot of mediation, and an in-sight into how it might support social work skills or provide an alternative avenue of practice for social workers. Although the book was first published in 2012, much of the guidance continues to be relevant for today’s audience. Throughout, Whatling offers helpful examples and exercises to allow the reader to practice their skills even without any further instruction, though some readers may be inspired to seek out mediation training.

Reference

Haynes, J. M., Haynes, G. L. and Sun Fong, L. (2004) Mediation: Positive Conflict Management, Albany, State University of New York Press.

Polly Sykes

University of York, UK

https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad114 

www.basw.co.uk

Ⓒ The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.