Association of Family Conciliation Courts: RESOLUTION ON THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON FAMILIES

• Published date: 01 June 1981
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.174-1617.1981.tb00949.x
• Date: 01 June 1981

Association

of

Family Conciliation Courts

RESOLUTION ON THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON FAMILIES

WHEREAS-the first White House Conference on Families

in

United States history took place in

the summer of 1980 in Baltimore (June 5-7), Minneapolis (June 19-20) and Los Angeles (July

WHEREAS-the main purpose of the WHCF, as enunciated by President Jimmy Carter, was to

examine the strengths of American families, the difficulties they face, and the ways in which family

life is affected by public policies;

WH EREAS-the President mandated that the Conference examine the important effects that the

world of work, the mass media, the court system, private institutions and other major facets of

our country have on American families;

WHEREAS-the approximately

2000

delegates and those heard at 7 regional meetings and local

meetings held prior to the WHCF, involving 125,000 people consisted of both lay and professional

people, thus constituting a true cross section of the United States and the concerns of its citizens

about the family;

WHEREAS-several of these delegates were members of A.F.C.C. and one was appointed by the

President to serve on the WHCF National Advisory Committee of

40;

WHEREAS-these A.F.C.C. members were deeply involved in the meetings at Baltimore, Minneapolis

and

Los

Angeles;

WHEREAS-one of the topics discussed at the WHCF was "Law and the Judicial System" (family

law, marriage, divorce, separation, custody and other legal family-related issues);

WHEREAS-at the

3

sites of the WHCF, the above stated members were part of the discussion

on "Law and the Judicial System" and made recommendations about the establishment of court-con-

nected counseling and mediation services as well as family courts

in

all states and territories;

WHEREAS-in both Baltimore and Los Angeles these recommendations were strongly endorsed

by the delegates whose votes placed these recommendations among the top 15 (conciliation and

mediation

in

family disputes was

#4;

family courts was

#5

among the recommendations made

at

2

sites);

WHEREAS-A.F.C.C. shares with the WHCF its concerns about American families;

WHEREAS-the WHCF reaffirmed the importance

of

families as a fundamental

building

block of

our society;

WHEREAS-the WHCF has asked this nation for a commitment, from both the public and private

sector, to strengthen and not weaken families, to help and not undermine families, to lift families

up and not drag them down;

WHEREAS-the WHCF was action-oriented and the President stated,

"I

will

do all

I

can to ensure

that your work does not end just as a report on the shelves of Washington";

WHEREAS-there is now a great need to go from words to action;

WHEREAS-the opportunity for change in attitudes, policies and practices is now;

WHEREAS-the final report on the WHCF has been given to the President, Congress and families

of this nation;

10-

1

2);

BE

lT

RESOLVED-that A.F.C.C. now continue to be part of the WHCF vision for change and that

through this resolution and its actions reaffirm the purpose and goals of the WHCF as well as

A.F.C.C.'s ongoing concern regarding American families;

81

CONCILIATION

COURTS

REVIEW/VOLUME

19,

NUMBER

1

/JUNE

1981