What is the Role of a Parent Coordinator?

Parenting coordinators help divorced or separated parents better manage parenting time decisions concerning their children in accordance with agreed upon or judicially approved parenting plans.

Despite how well drafted parenting plans may be, they typically do not foresee all of the matters that may arise.  Additionally, the acrimonious relationship that the parents may still have with one another can significantly impact the parents’ ability to come together to make good decisions for their children.  Parenting Coordinators can help be an important third party in smoothing over these relationships.

What Types of Situations are Best for Parenting Coordinators?

Parenting Coordinators can be extremely helpful in highly contentious parenting time situations.  Sometimes, bitterness between former spouses spills over into effective parenting decisions.  One parent may believe that the other is unfit, or that such other parent makes poor decisions.  Or one parent may simply want to exert total control over the welfare of their children.

How Parenting Coordinators Help

Parenting Coordinators normally have an ongoing relationship with the parents, and will meet frequently with each of the parents individually.  Their role is to serve in the best interest of the children, and in accordance with any court-approved parenting plans.

Within these confines, parenting coordinators are usually vested with significantly authority in terms of making final decisions in areas of dispute.  This is because (i) there are often cases in which decisions must be made immediately, and (ii) the courts do not have the resources to make all of these decisions on an ongoing basis.

Parenting coordinators can help with (and make decisions with respect to) the following:

• Ensuring that each parent receives the required parenting time for their children in accordance with the court-approved parenting plan

• Preventing parents from discussing certain topics with their children, such as derogatory conversations about the other parent

• Reporting suspected cases of abuse or neglect

• Making decisions with respect to urgent medical needs

• Resolving disputes between the parents on a variety of topics, which can include matters like what friends they can see, whether they must take music lessons, and whether they will be allowed to work while in high school. 

We Help Both Parents Do What is Best for Their Children

In most cases, parents truly care about what is in the best interest of their children.  Interpersonal relationships with the other parent, however, can sometimes make joint decisions next to impossible.  We can intervene so that the lives of children are not unduly disrupted, and so that the parents do not have to go to court for every decision.

To learn more about how we help by providing Parenting Coordinator services, please call our firm.