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Co-Parenting

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Co-Parenting is a challenge.  No matter how amicable or contemptuous your divorce, co-parenting raises issues that go on for weeks, months, years … sometimes even beyond your children becoming adults.  And in high-conflict divorce cases, it is the single, most-often cause of increased litigation.  Family courts are over-burdeneded by high-conflict parents, who take advantage of the legal system to resolve their often non-legal child-related disputes.  These litigious parents consume a majority of the court’s time, spend thousands of dollars in legal fees, and most importantly, jeopardize their childrens’ mental and physical health and well-being by dragging them through these never-ending courtroom battles.

Frequently Asked Questions About Parenting Coordination

To address the challenges faced by divorced parents, a new profession has emerged in recent years:  Parent Coordinator.  A Parent Coordinator works directly with the parties outside of the courtroom.  Often, Parent Coordinators work with clients through e-mail, telephone or in-person conferences to resolve disputes relating specifically to co-parenting.  The process is defined, as follows:

“[a] child-focused dispute resolution process in which a mental health or family law professional with mediation training and experience assists high-conflict parents implement their parenting plan by facilitating the resolution of their disputes in a timely manner, educating parents about children’s needs, and, with prior approval of the parties and/or the court, making decisions within the scope of the court order or appointment contract.”

[AFCC Task Force on Parenting Coordination, 2005]

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Does this sound familiar to you?

  • “You were supposed to drop off the kids at 7:00 P.M., and it’s 7:35 P.M., you’re late – again – see you in Court.”
  • ‘Why are you here? – it’s my turn to come to the soccer practice – you’re doing this to annoy me … leave, or I’ll see you in Court.”
  • “How dare you leave our 12-year old home alone … with her/him …  – we’ll see what the Judge says about this.”
  • “I paid for the school pictures, why did you take them out of his backpack – I’m filing a petition.”

How Can A Parenting Coordinator Help Us?

There are two ways to engage:

  1. A Parenting Coordinator is either appointed by the Court or engaged by your attorneys to assist in the co-parenting issues that arise before, during and after your divorce; or
  2. A Parenting Coach is available to you at any stage of your divorce proceeding, to assist you and your former spouse in developing, implementing, complying with or modifying your Parenting Plan.

Remember:

  • The Parent Coordinator’s function is not as a therapist.
  • Typically, the parties share the cost of the Parent Coordinator.
  • Decisions by a Parent Coordinator are appealable to the Court.

Most Family Court judges, lawyers, therapists and families welcome the role of Parent Coordinator, who offers a more cost-effective alternative to dispute resolution than proceeding to the courthouse each time a minor dispute arises.  The benefits?

  • Quicker results for the parties.
  • Reduces stresses on the children.
  • Cost-effective.
  • Less litigious.

For more information about Fees and Services or to engage a Parent Coordinator, Contact Us.