Child Custody Recommending Counselor/Mediator

Superior Court of California, County of Riverside; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual merit increase

Robust benefit plan (medical, dental,视

CalPERS pension plan

Optional deferred compensation

Generous leave accruals

14 paid holidays

Bereavement leave

Tuition discounts

PSLF eligibility

Job summary

The Superior Court of California, County of Riverside seeks a skilled Child Custody Recommending Counselor/Mediator to join Family Court Services, applying clinical and mediation expertise to support children and families.

The role involves confidential mediation, assessing family dynamics, developing parenting plans, and providing written recommendations to the Court, with emphasis on safety, neutrality, and professional judgment.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in psychology, social work, marriage, family and child counseling, or related behavioral science.
• At least two years of counseling or psychotherapy experience in family settings.
• Meets California Family Code Sections 1815 and 1816 requirements.

Responsibilities

• Conduct confidential mediation in child custody and visitation matters.
• Interview parents and review court case information to identify issues.
• Facilitate negotiations and help parties develop parenting plans.
• Prepare clear written recommendations for the Court when no agreement is reached.
• Assess risk factors affecting child safety and well-being.

Skills

Mediation

Counseling

Interviewing

Family dynamics

Written analysis

Education

Master's degree in psychology, social work, marriage, family and child counseling or related behavioral science

Job description

The Superior Court of California, County of Riverside is seeking a skilled Child Custody Recommending Counselor/Mediator to join our Family Court Services team. This is a unique opportunity to apply your clinical and mediation expertise in a setting where your work can have a meaningful and lasting impact on children and families.

About the Role

As a Child Custody Recommending Counselor/Mediator, you will work with parents navigating child custody and visitation disputes, helping them explore solutions that support the best interests of their children.

You will conduct confidential mediation, assess complex family dynamics, facilitate productive discussions between parties, and work toward mutually acceptable parenting plans. When an agreement cannot be reached, you will evaluate the information presented and prepare a professional written recommendation for the Court.

What You'll Do

• Conduct confidential mediation involving child custody and visitation matters.
• Interview parents and review court case information to identify issues and explore opportunities for resolution.
• Facilitate negotiations and help parties develop child custody and visitation agreements.
• Prepare clear, objective, and well-supported written recommendations for the Court when parties are unable to reach an agreement.
• Assess risk factors that may affect the safety and well-being of children, including domestic violence, substance abuse, and child abuse concerns.
• Collaborate with professionals and agencies such as Child Protective Services, therapists, minors' counsel, school personnel, supervised visitation monitors, and law enforcement.
• Provide professional guidance and information to the Court, parties, attorneys, community agencies, and members of the public.
• Stay current on developments in family law, child development, mental health, family dynamics, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution.
• Provide testimony when ordered by the Court or subpoenaed.

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is an experienced counseling professional who is comfortable navigating high-conflict and emotionally sensitive situations while maintaining professionalism, neutrality, and discretion.

Successful candidates will demonstrate strong skills in:

• Mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution
• Counseling and interviewing
• Assessing complex and conflicting information
• Family dynamics and child development
• Identifying concerns involving domestic violence, abuse, and substance abuse
• Written analysis and professional report writing
• Managing a demanding caseload and competing priorities
• Communicating effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Exercising independent judgment in sensitive situations

Minimum Qualifications

Education: A master's degree inpsychology, social work, marriage, family and child counseling, or another behavioral science substantially related to marriage and family interpersonal relationships.

Experience: Atleasttwo years of experience in counseling or psychotherapy, preferably in a setting related to the responsibilities of a family conciliation court and serving diverse populations.

Candidates must also meet the applicable requirements of California Family Code Sections 1815 and 1816 for Family Law conciliation assignments.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a current vacancy in Riverside, CA, and will also establish a countywide eligibility list for future vacancies.

Riverside is the fourth largest county in California and the 10th largest in the United States. There are fourteen court facilities spanning 7,300 square miles that serves Riverside’s 2.4 million residents.

The courts and its employees hold a unique role in the public sector. The mission of the Riverside Superior Court is, “in a fair, accessible, effective, and efficient manner, resolve disputes arising under the law and interpret and apply the law consistently, impartially, and independently to protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitutions of California and of the United States.”

We offer

• A annual merit increase for satisfactory job performance
• A robust benefit plan including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance
• A pension plan provided by the California Public Employer’s Retirement System also known as CalPERS. You will contribute between 7% and 8% of your biweekly pay, depending on your membership status
• Optional deferred compensation program
• Generous leave accruals
• Fourteen (14) paid holidays
• Bereavement leave
• Tuition discounts
• Qualified employer for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or Temporary Expanded PSLF (TEPSLF) Certification

Selection Procedures

This recruitment will remain open until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time. However, the deadline to apply for first round consideration is Thursday, September 03, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.

All applications will be reviewed to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications; those candidates deemed most qualified may be invited to an online or written assessment, if applicable. Candidates who take and successfully pass the assessment may be invited to an oral panel interview. Candidates who are successful in the interview may be placed on an eligible list. Placement on an eligible list is not a guarantee of employment. Additional steps for the selection process may include a comprehensive background check and drug test.

Status Notifications

You will be notified by email and/or text message during the process of this recruitment through governmentjobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with governmentjobs.com and riverside.courts.ca.gov. If your information changes, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

Reasonable Accommodations

Riverside Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations upon request for applicants with disabilities. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 951-777-3017 or [e-mail] if you feel you will need an accommodation for any aspect of the selection process. The Human Resources Department requests that it be advised of special needs at least five days prior to the examination so that a reasonable accommodation may be made.