The Role of a Parenting Coordinator

When children are involved in a divorce, things often become emotional and complex. Conflict may arise, even years after a divorce. That is why parenting coordination can be such a useful tool. In parenting coordination, a qualified, impartial party enters to help resolve issues between the parents and settle upon a post-divorce resolution that is best for the child.

When should you call a coordinator?
This method for resolving parenting conflicts during a divorce is recommended when the parents have spent time trying to negotiate, but have been unable to do so, despite their attempts to solve problems through mediation, or even negotiations with an attorney. In the time after divorce, parents may turn to the coordinator to settle disputes. It is particularly useful when this sort of conflict begins to bleed into the family life, negatively affecting the children. The third party is usually brought in once the divorce is over. This is often because the coordinator’s purpose is primarily to implement an already-conceived plan. With a court-ordered plan set, the coordinator may come in and help the parents develop the plan and make it work.

How may a coordinator help?

Parenting coordinators can help spouses execute a solid parenting plan or timeshare schedule, manage disputes, and more. In some cases, if the parents are unable to agree under any circumstance, the coordinator may make the final decision. The issues that parenting coordinators address are among the following and beyond:

• Making slight alterations to timeshares, schedules, etc., and clarifying anything on which the parents are unclear.
• Aiding in health, education, and extracurricular scheduling decisions.
• Helping decide how children will be transferred between parents.
• Parenting style resolutions.
• Communication resolutions.

This assistance may benefit families-spouses, children, and anyone else affected-in many ways.  This help may include:

• Help parenting confidence.
• Reduce anxiety in environment for all.
• Eliminate conflicts over loyalties.
• Improve involvement of parents in child’s life.
• Teach conflict resolution skills.
• And more.

The ultimate purpose of bringing in a coordinator is to address conflicts and help parents learn to resolve their current issues, and properly address any future problems on their own. It may also help parent or child anxiety over the recent, and ongoing changes the divorce has brought about. Parenting coordinators could also help reduce future litigation.

How does someone become a coordinator?

Of course, coordinators keep their cases completely confidential. They may not share information on their parents with anyone and, in most cases, they are not even permitted to testify in court with any of the information they acquired during coordination. Thus, it makes sense that someone wanting to become a parental coordinator must be familiar with confidentiality. In order to qualify as parent coordinator, a person must be a physician, mental health professional, a legal mediator, or other potential pre-qualifications. Each of these professionals is familiar with confidentiality. The position also calls for other experience, and specific hours of training in coordinating and mediation. 

Are you planning a divorce, or do you need help with ongoing proceedings? We know family law at Miller Law. We can also help you figure out parenting coordination.