AFCC-O Mentorship Program Agreement

AFCC-O is an interdisciplinary, professional organization bringing legal, mental health, academic, and dispute resolution professionals together for mutual learning so they can best serve families involved in family law matters, including the court system. We believe the diverse, interdisciplinary nature of our organization is our strength and what sets us apart from other family law organizations. We endeavor to provide mentorship opportunities to enhance our professional practice – and to excite, support, and sustain early career professionals who are committed to this work. We believe that genuine relationships between seasoned and junior colleagues are key to keeping us current, effective, and confident.

This Agreement sets out the shared expectations, roles, responsibilities, and boundaries for interdisciplinary mentoring relationships through AFCC-O. The Mentorship Program is intended to promote professional development, reflective practice, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Mentorship Program

In its first year, the program will provide Mentees with a variety of small-group experiences in which they can meet experienced psychologists, social workers, lawyers, judges, and academics. These meetings will occur online at regular intervals.

The purpose of the Mentorship Program is to promote professional growth, reflective practice, ethical decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The program is intended to broaden participants' understanding of the perspectives, responsibilities, and practices of other disciplines involved in family justice.

Boundaries and Limitations of the Program

Mentorship discussions are informal, educational, and intended solely to support professional development. The relationships between mentors and Mentees are viewed through a developmental lens. The Mentorship Program does not create a supervisory, employment, fiduciary, therapist-client, solicitor-client, consultant, expert witness, or other professional relationship between Mentors and Mentees. Although de-identified cases may be presented as examples for learning, and/or Mentees may seek to discuss cases currently relevant to their practices, Mentees remain responsible for the decisions they make in their work, and the consequences thereof. Any discussion concerning professional practice, legal issues, ethical questions, clinical matters, or case examples is educational in nature only and must not be relied upon as legal advice, clinical advice, professional supervision, regulatory guidance, or expert opinion.

Mentees remain solely responsible for exercising their own independent professional judgment, complying with the requirements of their governing regulatory body, employer, and applicable law, and for all decisions made in connection with their professional practice. Participation in the Mentorship Program does not relieve any participant of their independent professional responsibilities.

Mentees and Mentors confirm they have reviewed the standards of practice relevant to their professions relating to individuals under supervision or practice under the license of another professional.

Neither AFCC-O, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, committee members, nor any mentor assumes responsibility for any decision, act, omission, or consequence arising from a participant's reliance upon discussions occurring within the Mentorship Program.

Mentors and Mentees shall not disclose confidential or identifying client information during mentorship discussions. Any case examples discussed must be sufficiently de-identified to protect client (and child, if involved) confidentiality and comply with the participant’s professional and ethical obligations.

The mentoring relationship may include discussion of professional development goals, ethical and practice considerations, career pathways, communication across disciplines, systems navigation, leadership development, resilience, and reflective learning. The relationship may also include group mentoring, case-based discussion using appropriately de-identified examples, and structured goal review.

Responsibilities of All Participants

All participants agree to conduct Mentorship Meetings in accordance with the following principles:

• Be a member in good standing of the AFCC-O;
• Respect, professionalism, courtesy, and collegiality;
• Commitment to learning, reflection, and constructive feedback;
• Recognition of the distinct ethical, professional, and regulatory duties of mental health and legal professionals, and academics;
• Adherence to confidentiality and privacy obligations;
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, cultural humility, and accessibility; and,
• Refrain from sharing identifying information about clients/patients, colleagues, organizations, legal matters. Any discussion of professional matters or case examples will be based on sufficiently de-identified information;

Responsibilities of Mentors

• Provide guidance, perspective, and support within the limits of their professional role, competence, and experience;
• Encourage Mentees to identify goals, prepare for meetings, reflect on learning, and take ownership of their professional development;
• Share professional experience and insights;
• Avoid creating dependence or over-reliance and ensure the mentoring relationship does not become a substitute for supervision, therapy, legal advice, regulatory consultation, or employment guidance;
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries (e.g., avoid formal supervision, therapy, legal advice, or regulatory consultation) and avoid dual relationships or conflicts of interest where possible;
• Model ethical decision-making, respectful interdisciplinary dialogue, and reflective practice; and
• Identify concerns about safety, ethics, impairment, conflicts, or professional risk and encourage appropriate consultation or referral when needed. Responsibilities of Mentees
• Make reasonable efforts to attend scheduled mentorship meetings;
• Take primary responsibility for identifying individual goals and following through on agreed actions;
• Participate actively, respectfully, and honestly in mentoring discussions;
• Seek formal supervision, legal advice, clinical consultation, employment advice, or regulatory guidance from appropriate sources when required;
• Exercise independent professional judgment when considering any issue discussed during mentorship;
• Respect Mentors’ time, professional boundaries, and confidentiality obligations; and
• Provide feedback about what is working well and what should be adjusted in the Mentorship Program.
  
  Program Administration
  
  During our initial phase, the mentorship meetings will occur virtually, using a secure platform hosted by AFCC-O. As the Mentorship Program evolves, smaller groups or pairs may form based on interests and professional development goals.
  
  Participants agree to foster an inclusive, accessible, and respectful mentoring environment. Participants are encouraged to identify accessibility needs, identity considerations, or participation preferences as early as possible so that reasonable accommodations and adjustments can be considered.
  
  Participants are encouraged to raise concerns respectfully and promptly. Where this is not appropriate or a participant is uncomfortable doing so, concerns may be directed to a member of the Mentorship Committee or the AFCC-O Board of Directors.
  
  The Mentorship Program is a closed program, and participation is limited to registered Mentors and Mentees. We hope that Mentors and Mentees will participate for a one-year commitment to promote continuity and meaningful mentoring relationships. If you decide to withdraw from the program before the end of the one-year period, please notify a member of the Mentorship Committee in writing so that your space may be offered to a participant on the waiting list.
  
  Participants shall not record, photograph, screen capture, transcribe, or distribute mentorship meetings.
  
  Participants shall promptly disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest that may reasonably affect the mentoring relationship. Where a conflict arises, AFCC-O may reassign participants or take other appropriate steps to preserve the integrity of the Mentorship Program.
  
  AFCC-O reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate participation in the Mentorship Program where it considers such action necessary to protect participants or the integrity of the Program