If you feel like every conversation with the other parent leads to conflict—or worse, threats of going back to court—your current co-parenting structure may not be working. Fortunately, there is a solution that can help parents resolve disagreements while keeping the focus where it belongs: on the children.
Parent Coordination can help families move forward without constant litigation.
What Is a Parent Coordinator?
A Parent Coordinator is a trained professional appointed by the court or agreed upon by both parents (often through their attorneys). Parent Coordinators specialize in helping parents resolve disputes in high-conflict custody and co-parenting situations.
Rather than returning to court for every disagreement, a Parent Coordinator helps parents:
- Develop or clarify parenting plans
- Address misunderstandings about the schedule
- Monitor compliance with an existing parenting agreement
- Resolve day-to-day parenting disputes
Most importantly, when parents cannot reach an agreement, a Parent Coordinator can make a decision to resolve the issue so the children are not caught in the middle.
This process can dramatically reduce conflict, legal fees, and delays that often occur when disputes are handled through litigation.
What Issues Can a Parent Coordinator Decide?
Parent Coordinators cannot change legal or physical custody. Those decisions must still be made by the parents together or by the court.
However, Parent Coordinators can help resolve many of the everyday disagreements that frequently arise between co-parents, including:
- Minor changes to parenting time schedules
- Decisions about extracurricular activities
- Communication issues between parents
- School or activity logistics
- Other time-sensitive parenting matters
These are often issues that cannot realistically wait weeks or months for a court hearing.
Parent Coordination vs. Mediation
Although both processes involve a neutral professional, Parent Coordination and mediation serve different purposes.
A mediator helps parents communicate and attempt to reach an agreement, but the mediator cannot make decisions for the parents if they remain at an impasse.
A Parent Coordinator, however, has the authority to make decisions when parents cannot agree. This helps prevent ongoing conflict and ensures important decisions about the children are made in a timely manner.
Another key difference is confidentiality. Mediation is confidential, while Parent Coordination is not. A Parent Coordinator may be called to testify in court regarding a parent’s participation or compliance with the process.
How Parent Coordination Helps Families Move Forward
High-conflict co-parenting can take a serious emotional and financial toll on families. Constant litigation often increases stress for both parents and children.
Parent Coordination offers a more practical and child-focused approach by:
- Reducing repeated trips to court
- Helping parents resolve disagreements quickly
- Creating structure and accountability in co-parenting
- Keeping the focus on the best interests of the children
For many families, having a neutral professional involved brings clarity and stability to situations that previously felt chaotic.
Co-parenting does not require parents to agree on everything, but it does require a system that allows decisions to be made efficiently and in the best interest of the children.
If you are looking for help with parent coordination, reach out to our firm to see how we can help.