Why Enlist the Help of a Parenting Coordinator?
A parenting coordinator (PC) is a professional who works with co-parents to help reduce conflict and make decisions in the children's best interests. Parenting coordinators help co-parents resolve differences and make child-related decisions.
The benefits of a parent coordinator include:
Improved Communication: A parent coordinator teaches co-parents communication skills and strategies. The PC sets protocols that determine when, how, and what can be communicated from one co-parent to the other. The PC may also utilize tools like Our Family Wizard to centralize communication.
Reduced Conflict: By helping co-parents work together, a PC can help reduce conflict, making it easier for co-parents to work collaboratively to benefit the children.
Efficient Decision-Making: The PC has limited authority to make decisions, reducing the amount of time spent arguing, litigating, or undermining progress.
Managing the Parenting Plan: The PC helps manage any ambiguity in the parenting plan. Together, the PC helps co-parents resolve parenting plan disputes reducing the time and expense of gaining agreement and minimizing the impact on the children.
Better Outcomes for Children: By reducing conflict and improving communication, a PC can create a more stable and supportive environment for children, leading to better outcomes in terms of academic, social, and emotional well-being.
Access to Resources: A PC may also be able to connect parents with other resources, such as counseling or legal services, which can help them better navigate the challenges of co-parenting.
Functioning as a Neutral: The PC is a neutral party to the case. The PC is a non-confidential party. Progress may be shared with the legal and therapy teams. The PC can also testify when needed to provide insight into obstacles and progress.
A Vital Part of the Team
The frequency of meetings with a PC varies by case. Some co-parents need only a little coaching to establish boundaries and protocols. Other cases may require many sessions over a longer period to help with the parenting plan, decision-making, communication, and reducing their child's exposure to conflict. The PC is valuable in helping separated or divorced parents work together effectively and provide the best possible outcomes for their children. The intake process is simple and can be done online.