What is Parenting Coordination?

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Parenting coordination offers parents involved in high-conflict disputes the consistent, ongoing direction of a single, qualified professional using less adversarial, less expensive dispute resolution process.

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Parents who try parenting coordination - whether by choice or by court order - will meet with a Parenting Coordinator and sign a Parenting Coordination Agreement that outlines the role, objectives and scope of the Parenting Coordinator's services as well as the rights and obligations of each parent.  The Parenting Coordinator will usually be retained for fixed periods of up to two years.

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When parenting disputes arise, either parent may contact the Parenting Coordinator.  The Coordinator will listen to each parties' side of the story and attempt to reach a resolution of the dispute through information gathering and consensus building.  If a settlement cannot be reached by consensus, the Coordinator will make a determination to resolve the dispute which both parents will be bound by.  When the next problem comes up, the parents will go back to the Parenting Coordinator and the process starts again.  Along the way, the Parenting Coordinator will also help the parents learn to communicate more effectively with each other and identify the hot-button issues which trigger disputes.  The Parenting Coordinator will continue to work with the parents until the terms of his or her retainer expires or when either the Parenting Coordinator or both parents agree to end the parenting coordination process.

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Parenting coordination does not completely eliminate the role of the courts, but while the parents are involved in the parenting coordination process, they are expected not to apply to court for an order different than the decision of the Parenting Coordinator.  A parent who goes to court over an issue already decided by the Parenting Coordinator will have to contribute to the other parent's costs of responding to the application, and risks the court agreeing with the Parenting Coordinator's decision.

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I am a qualified Parenting Coordinator and can provide these services to you in a safe and comfortable setting.  Usually our meetings and discussions will be conducted by way of video conference to save you time and money.