CBFM® Ukraine (online)

MiKK Cross-Border Family Mediation Training (CBFM^®)
for Ukrainian Mediators

in Ukrainian
(English with simultaneous translation)

Online (Zoom)

2026

Module 1: 9th – 11th March 2026
Module 2: 16th – 19th March 2026

About the Training

Almost 8 million Ukrainians have fled Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. Most of them are mothers and children. Unfortunately, due to disruptions in family communication, some of these families face the issue of co-parenting while separated by an international border.

What challenges do these parents face?

Both from a practical, emotional and legal point of view?
How can parents settle their disputes regarding contact, country of residence, the involvement of grandparents and the extended family in the upbringing of children?

How can mediation assist parents in resolving these issues amicably, and what are the special features of mediation having regard to the particular context and the specific challenges posed by the war?

To find the answers to their questions, we invite you to participate
in the MiKK Cross-border Family Mediation (CBFM) Training for Ukrainian Mediators!

The training is conducted in partnership with the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation (UAM) and MiKK – International Center for Mediation of Family Conflicts and Child Abduction, co-funded by the European Union (EU-funded CONSENT and ACCORD projects).

*** * * Programme in English * * ***

* * * Programme in Ukrainian * * *

REGISTRATION opens soon!

We look forward to working with legal, psycho-social, educational and other professionals from a variety of cultural backgrounds and nationalities!

Course objectives

This 40-hour training course conducted by MiKK in cooperation with the Ukrainian Mediators Association aims to prepare family mediators to mediate cross-border family disputes between Ukrainians, taking into account the specifics of wartime, including cases of international child abduction, access to children and custody. For this training, the standard 50-hour MiKK Cross-border Family Mediation Training (CBFM) has been adapted to integrate modules for the Ukrainian situation. The training will be delivered by MiKK CBFM trainers, with selected modules conducted by independent mediation experts and trainers from the Ukrainian Mediation Academy. The training is co-funded by the European Union.aspects of international family conflicts, including differences in national family law and the Hague Conventions of 1980 and 1996;

Topics

√ Relevant legal aspects of international family conflicts, including differences in national family law and the Hague Conventions of 1980 and 1996;

√ The voice of the child in mediation;

√ Specifics of trauma-informed mediation in the context of war;

√ Tools and methodologies for mediation in international family disputes to protect the best interests of the child;

√ Parental alienation and child’s resistance to contact;

√ Many other aspects of family mediation between parents separated by a border;

√ Practical role plays form an integral part of the training.

Who is this Training for?

This training is open to certified Ukrainian family mediators only, regardless of their country of residence.

Conditions of participation:

There is no training fee payable for participating in this training. However, in return for participating, mediators agree to make themselves available to conduct two pro bono mediations in an international family dispute involving children between Ukrainian parents.

Training format:

training will take place online;
please note that the language of the training is English with simultaneous translation into Ukrainian – the plenary sessions will be mostly conducted in English through MiKK Trainers and external mediation experts; all role plays will be held in Ukrainian (a team of Ukrainian trainers will accompany role plays)
the training will take place in two modules – in September and in October. Please note that the duration of train

Qualified Mediators with intercultural competence and foreign language skills who successfully complete the MiKK CBFM training, may join the international MiKK Network of 240+ specialized, multi-lingual family mediators and have their profile featured in the MiKK Network Listing on the MiKK website (see here).

The international MiKK Advisory & Pre-mediation Service regularly refers cross-border family cases for mediation to MiKK-listed Mediators. Ongoing Training requirements in the field of mediation, family law and cross-border family mediation apply to MiKK Cross-border Family Mediators.

MiKK Flyer in Ukrainian available here

Past Trainings

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The CBFM Training was first delivered in 2023, when MiKK and UAM successfully trained a cohort of 30 cross-border family mediators.
Further information about the previous edition of the training can be found below.