MEDIATION AS A SOCIAL SERVICE: ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

The article explores mediation as a social service in the context of the organizational and legal framework for its provision in Ukraine. The relevance of integrating mediation into the social protection system is substantiated, particularly for individuals and families in difficult life circumstances or those at high risk of falling into such situations.Mediation is considered a core social service that contributes to reducing social tensions, strengthening dialogue, and preventing the escalation of conflicts. It is presented as a humane, accessible, and effective tool of social protection amidst the transformational processes of Ukrainian society.The article analyzes the current legal and regulatory framework governing the provision of mediation as a social service in Ukraine, including the laws “On Mediation”, “On Social Services”, and “On Social Work with Families, Children and Youth”; resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine; and regulatory acts of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine. Special attention is given to the State Standard for the Social Service of Mediation, adopted in 2024, which for the first time comprehensively regulates all stages of service provision, taking into account the “case management” technology.The article outlines the procedures and conditions for delivering the social service of mediation: application analysis, assessment of individual needs, development of an individual plan, conclusion of a service agreement, implementation of the agreement and the individual plan, as well as monitoring and evaluating the quality of service provision. It highlights the key principles underlying the mediation process, including confidentiality, voluntariness, independence, neutrality, impartiality of the mediator, self-determination, and equality of the parties in mediation.The emphasis is placed on the importance of interagency and interdisciplinary cooperation in the implementation of the social mediation service, which remains insufficiently regulated at the normative level. The article proposes ways to improve this cooperation through regulatory development, methodological support, inter-institutional partnerships, and professional training of specialists.