09/19/12
Report
This assessment builds on a previous study of King County’s Mediation Pilot program (which can be found here). The current study expands upon earlier findings by adding additional cases to the sample and following cases through the permanency hearing and case closure (when applicable) to examine the long‐term effects. Findings indicate that: mediation increases timeliness of early case processing; mediation reduces workload early in the case; mediated cases are more likely to reach agreement; and children in mediated cases are more likely to be placed with a relative as opposed to placed in foster care at the review and permanency hearings.