The Role of Social Workers in Family Mediation and Conflict Resolution in Imo State

Family conflict and marital breakdown have significant social welfare consequences that professional social workers are positioned to address through mediation and conflict resolution practice. This study examines the role of social workers in family mediation and conflict resolution in Imo State, South East Nigeria, focusing on social welfare units in Owerri Municipal and Orlu local government areas. A mixed-method design is employed, with 70 social workers, family court officials, and clients receiving family mediation services as respondents. Structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews are used, with descriptive statistics and thematic analysis applied. The study finds that social workers conduct structured family mediation in cases involving child custody disputes, marital violence, inheritance conflicts, and sibling property disputes. However, mediation practice is inconsistently applied, with many social workers operating without formal training in mediation techniques. Clients express generally positive perceptions of social work-facilitated mediation as a cost-effective and culturally acceptable alternative to litigation. Recommendations include developing standardised family mediation training as a component of social work professional development, establishing multi-disciplinary family service centres in each local government area, and conducting public awareness campaigns about the availability of social work-facilitated mediation services. Keywords: family mediation, conflict resolution, social work, Imo State, family welfare