IS A PARENTING COORDINATOR RIGHT FOR YOUR CASE?
A Parenting Coordinator is a professional, often with a background in law, who helps parents quickly and efficiently navigate co-parenting issues during and after a divorce or separation without the necessity of going through the long and arduous court system. Parenting Coordinators typically work to help parents stay focused on the child’s needs, acting as a neutral third-party to help create a more stable and cooperative parenting arrangement.
By agreement of the parties, the Parenting Coordinator is typically appointed by the court in cases where parents are unable to resolve disputes or effectively communicate regarding the care and well-being of their child. In some situations, the Parenting Coordinator is given the authority to make legally binding decisions on parenting disputes. In other situations the Parenting Coordinator is only authorized to make recommendations to the court, rather than binding orders.
The scope of the Parenting Coordinator’s authority is defined by the parents’ and detailed in the court’s appointment order. The goal of the Parenting Coordinator is to not only ensure that both parents follow the court’s orders and focus on the best interests of the child, but to also get the parents to a place where they are able effectively co-parent their child without the assistance of a Parenting Coordinator.
A Parenting Coordinator helps facilitate communication between parents about matters like visitation schedules, decision-making, or discipline. The Parenting Coordinator helps parents clarify existing custody or parenting agreements, and if needed, make adjustments to those orders to reduce the conflict between them, which ultimately has a negative and traumatizing impact on their child. The Parenting Coordinator assists in the resolution of ongoing conflicts, particularly those related to the child’s emotional and physical needs and provides parents with information on child development, communication techniques, and strategies to improve their co-parenting relationship.
Please contact Michael Christy, who has years of experience working as a Parenting Coordinator, if you’re interested in finding out more about hiring him as a Parenting Coordinator.