Involving Professional Psychologists in Family Mediation Helps Reconcile 24 couples

Article 2 of the Law on the Establishment of Courts, adopted by the State Great Khural of Mongolia on June 5, 2024, provides for the establishment of first-instance circuit courts specializing in family and child cases. In this context, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection signed a memorandum of understanding with the General Council of the Judiciary in May this year on providing psychological and expert support in family court proceedings. Starting from August 20, two professional psychologists have been deployed to the administrative offices of the circuit courts in Bayangol, Khan Uul, and Songinokhairkhan districts.

Couples applying to court for divorce are often emotionally unstable and affected by misunderstanding, resentment, blame, fear, and anxiety. Psychological support has proven effective in stabilizing emotions, helping parties make more rational decisions, encouraging couples to recognize their responsibilities toward each other and their children, and positively influencing decisions to withdraw divorce applications.

Before psychologists began working in the courts, from May to August 20, 2025, a three-month period saw 14 families reconcile. In the three months following the introduction of psychologists, 24 families reconciled. Overall, cooperation between psychologists and mediators increased the success rate of family dispute resolution by 1.7 percent.

During this period, psychologists provided couples counselling to 123 individuals, child psychological counselling to three children, and individual counselling to 25 people.

Although Article 14.7 of the currently effective Family Law states that the opinion of a child aged seven or older must be considered when deciding custody issues, the law does not clearly specify who should be present when a child’s opinion is heard, aside from judges and court clerks. In practice, children may feel intimidated by the courtroom environment, judges, or their parents, and the presence of lawyers from both sides may influence a child’s statement. As a result, courts have at times informally involved independent professionals.

Within the framework of the memorandum, and in line with Article 29.1 of the revised Law on Child Protection, which guarantees the right of children aged seven and above to express their views in proceedings affecting their rights and legitimate interests, professional psychologists were involved in hearing the opinions of approximately 10 children. This resulted in children expressing their views freely and truthfully.

According to the 2025 study titled “The Current State and Changes in Mongolian Family Relationships” conducted by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection, the number of newly married couples has decreased by 29 percent compared to the previous five years, while the number of divorced families has increased by 5 percent.

Protecting the family as the fundamental social unit, strengthening family members’ responsibilities, and reducing divorce rates are reflected in the Government of Mongolia’s 2024–2028 Action Program. Given that professional psychological assessment and counselling provide tangible support in reconciliation efforts, the ministry is working to propose the inclusion of psychologists as members of mediation teams in the draft Law on Family Court Proceedings.