Parenting Coordination

Parenting Coordination is a child focused process to resolve family disputes involving children.

The separation of a couple is a very difficult time for parents. It is equally, if not more, difficult for children. The separation of a family, and of parents, is even more difficult for the family when the parents are in conflict. For some children, the conflict between their parents is constant and long lasting.

A Parenting Coordinator (the “PC”) is an experienced family law lawyer, counselor and psychologist who has special training to help parents recognize the needs of their children and to assist in the resolution of the dispute between the parents. A PC may be retained by the couple by agreement or by referral of the Court.

A PC is most often retained to assist with high conflict parents when a parenting plan, either on an interim or permanent basis already exists.

The parents meet with the PC and sign aParenting Coordination Agreement. This Agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities of the parents and the PC. When a dispute arises, either one or both of the parents may contact the PC. The PC will work with the parents to assist in achieving a consensual resolution of the dispute. In circumstances where a consensual resolution cannot be achieved, the PC will arbitrate or decide the dispute.

Parenting Coordination is not intended to replace other consensus building processes such as negotiations, the Collaborative process or mediation. Parenting Coordination offers parents a process with the consistency of a single qualified professional who has the skills and experience to resolve the dispute, thereby, avoiding more expensive, often conflict entrenching adversarial processes in which the decision maker may, and probably would change, for each dispute.

I have been on the Roster of the B.C. Parenting Coordination Roster Society since 2007 when I completed the Parenting Coordination training with Dr. Joan Kelly, who is a lecturer, mediator and leader in research on children and divorce.