. Identify 3 ethical issues in each paragraph and describe how each is applied. . Which are the appropriate recommendations for these ethical issues to be avoided or resolved in the future.

Alana's Reflection

Well, I must say I'm not sure about this reflective practice' stuff, it all sounds a bit "airy fairy" to me, but... you do what you have to do to stay accredited, I suppose. The course suggests reflection across a period of time, so I've decided to think back over the past three months and 'reflect'.

1- Generally speaking, things have been pretty lean. As private practitioner running a business as a private mediator and conflict coach, I've noticed a real drop-off of enquiries since the State Government started their cost-cutting campaign across government departments, where I use to get a lot of my work. This has meant I have relly had to work hard to get every job, and I've even taken a couple of mediations I wouldn't normally take - "spousals" where the separating couple said they just wanted to discuss property issues, not children. Wow, they were something else!

2- I can see why there is a separate level of qualification is required to do family mediations - in one of my cases, the parties, who own a major local property development company were arguing over every single detail, and they kept bringing their three kids into it. Each of them threw insults at each other about what a poor job they were doing in caring for the kids now that they were trekking back and forth between their houses. As much as I tried to shut down the conversation about the kids and keep them on topic, it was a really frustrating three hours. At one point I remember telling the father to calm down and take a few deep breaths, as she was almost hysterical. He was clearly 'laying it on thick' to try to get the wife to give up more of her share of the assets, which I pointed out to her in private session. I suggested she not let him walk over her on this, as it would open the door for him to ask for other things as well. She didn't give in on this point when we got back together, so that was gratifying.

3- In another mediation, this time at the TAFE college, I mediated between a Manager and one of the staff who said he was being bullied. After I spoke with each party, I told the CEO that I really didn't think it was suitable to mediate as the staff member had said they were going to leave anyway. I know the CEO really well, having done lots of work for him before, and with us both being in the Lions Club, and he was determined to mediate because he was worried the staff member might put in an external complaint, or even come back later and claim 'wrongful dismissal'. When he said if I didn't do it he would get somebody else, I agreed to go ahead, because it might as well be money in my bank account, rather than somebody else. I also need to protect my relationship with this client, as we have a long-standing arrangement for work. As I predicted, it was a waste of time, there was no agreement, and I heard a few weeks ago that the staff member has left. Actually it was easy money for me and it met the CEO's needs, so it turned out all right in the end.