Parenting Coordination and its role in ensuring better outcomes for families

Parenting Coordinators Hannah McSharer and Tanisha Watts

Written by Tanisha Watts

Recently, Hannah McSharer and I completed our Parenting Coordination Course through Parenting Coordination Australia and are pleased to announce that this is a service is now available to families at Pippa Colman Family Law. 

What is parenting coordination?

Parenting Coordination is a child focussed dispute resolution process designed to assist families work through conflict following the making of a Parenting Plan or Court Order. It is a relatively new service offered to families in the family law sector in Australia and is widely recognised in other countries such as the United States of America. 

Parenting coordination originated from the collective recognition amongst family law professionals, that there needs to be a conflict resolution service for families to bridge the gap between an agreement being reached and the implementation of the agreement. Well known amongst the family law profession is the tendency for interparental conflict to worsen and solidify during legal proceedings as identified by Sullivan:

Judges, attorneys and mental health professionals have long agreed that the profound psychological and relational issues that characterise these families make them a poor fit for the more adversarial legal processes they typically find themselves repeatedly utilizing.¹

This leaves parents ill equipped to manage their co-parenting arrangements when proceedings are finalised, reinforcing the need for there to therapeutic intervention and oversight following the conclusion of this process. This is particularly critical in light of the social science research which very clearly confirms that a child’s exposure to enduring conflict between their parents is a key predictor for poor developmental outcomes.²

The process of parenting coordination

Parenting coordination is offered by a trained Parenting Coordinator who is either a family lawyer, psychologist, or social worker with an extensive background working with high conflict families who assists with the resolution of disagreements and day-to-day issues that arise. 

The Parenting Coordinator helps parents with problem solving where an agreement might be silent or ambiguous about an issue that could not have been predicted at the time the agreement was drafted. This is something that, as family law practitioners, we see often and is usually the impetus for families to return to the Court. 

Examples of the kinds of disputes that a Parenting Coordinator can assist with are:

• Changeover arrangements;

• Children's extracurricular activities;

• Medical and health decisions;

• School-related issues;

• Holiday arrangements;

• Communication between parents;

• Compliance or interpretation of Court Orders or Parenting Plans; and

• The introduction of new partners.

Parenting coordination encompasses:

• Educating parents about child development theory, the impact of parental conflict on children, and effective communication strategies by developing a communication protocol; and 

• Mediation, case management, and arbitration of issues in real time, as they occur. Arbitration by the Parenting Coordinator is a last resort and is a part of the service that is initially agreed to by both parents at engagement.

It is important to note that parenting coordination is not about changing existing court orders or re-litigating disputes. It is about helping parents effectively implement existing arrangements and develop practical skills to manage future challenges.

Appointment of a Parenting Coordinator

A Parenting Coordinator can be engaged by parents provided that there is an existing documented agreement in place such as a Parenting Plan or Court Order. A Parenting Coordinator can also be appointed by Court Order.

A Parenting Coordinator is generally appointed for a term of 12 – 18 months and will assist the family on a monthly basis. Each family’s circumstances are unique and so it might be appropriate for a family to attend with a Parenting Coordinator more frequently in the beginning, for example, fortnightly. 

Once appointed, a Parenting Coordinator will conduct an intake session with both parents separately to assess suitability. Thereafter, if the Parenting Coordinator is satisfied that the matter is suitable for Parenting Coordination, both parents will enter into a Parenting Coordination Agreement and joint sessions will commence. A Parenting Coordinator, once appointed, will review any documentation required such as:

• The relevant agreement i.e. Parenting Plan or Court Order; 

• Family Report (provided there is leave from the Court to do so); 

• Communications between the parents; and 

• Any other documents relevant to the family’s circumstances and the dispute.

High-conflict parenting situations can be exhausting for parents and unsettling for children. Without effective support, disputes often become circular, sometimes costly if lawyers become involved, emotionally charged, and difficult to resolve. Approaches that provide structure, consistency, and a focus on practical solutions can help break the cycle of conflict and educate parents on healthier ways to resolve disagreements.

By reducing the potential for there to be escalations of a parenting dispute (before they occur) and encouraging clearer communication, these processes can play an important role in supporting parents and children. 

The goal is not to create long-term dependence on the Parenting Coordinator, but rather to support parents in building healthier co-parenting practices for the future, which will in turn support positive developmental outcomes of the children. 

Contact Pippa Colman Family Law team today to discuss how we can help you.

References

¹Matthew Sullivan, ‘Introduction to the Special Issue on Parenting Coordination’ (2008) 5(2) Journal of Child Custody 1-3.

²Jennifer McIntosh, ‘Enduring conflict in Parental Separation: Pathways of Impact on Child Development’ (2003) 9(1) Journal of Family Studies 63; Jennifer McIntosh and Caroline Long, ‘Current Findings on Australian Children in Postseparation Disputes: Outer Conflict, Inner Discord’ (2005) 11(1) Journal of Family Studies 99.

Important Disclaimer

The above information is general in nature and provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Every situation is different, and you should seek independent legal advice before making decisions about your own circumstances.