Category Archives: Parenting Coordination

Parents coming to parenting coordination are most often exhausted from their separation process and feel resistant to committing to yet another process that requires further engagement with each other. They may be feeling defensive and guarded, and are likely entrenched in certain behaviours with each other. The role of a parenting coordinator is a supportive role. Parenting coordinating is designed …
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A Parenting Coordinator (PC) can play a pivotal role in helping high-conflict coparents navigate their relationship in a way that allows them to refocus on the very difficult job of parenting. Here are some tips that to ensure the process has its best chance for success: Set realistic expectations. A PC can, for some coparents, enable a transformative experience that …
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(Evans v Evans, 2023 ONSC 3919 CanlII)   A recent decision of Justice Lene Madsen highlights many of the issues addressed daily by family mediators, arbitrators and parenting coordinators, and also confirms that the courts have no jurisdiction to order parenting coordination in Ontario. Here is a summary of the decision: It is a 159 paragraph decision resulting from a …
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It is common to hear Parenting Coordinators (PCs) talk about how tough it is to do this work.  But PC work is tough for the parents too!  I work with many parents who are understandably reluctant to start the PC process. They are coming from a place where their experience with the other causes them to have little faith that …
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The recent decision of Davies J. in Lange v Lange & Tait (2022 ONSC 6412) is a good example of how child-focused mediation can help parents resolve disputes in the best interests of the children. Ms. Lange and Mr. Tait had a child together as a result of a brief relationship. By the time the child was born, Ms. Lange …
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A recent decision by Shore, J., in Czyzewski v Fabro (2022 ONSC 4883) is a helpful guide for family mediators and arbitrators when helping parents determine the best interests of a very young child. The case is about a father with relatively limited parenting time seeking a week-about parenting schedule. The father was unable to accommodate a different time-sharing arrangement …
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co-authored by Hilary Linton   We often work with parties who are unrepresented or whose counsel do not attend the mediation. This places added pressure on mediators to remain current with the law. The recent case of Craig v Niro (2022 ONSC 5178) is an instructive primer on the law of child support and s. 7 expenses for a child …
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Screening for power imbalances and family violence is mandated by Regulation 134/07 under the Arbitration Act. That Regulation requires family arbitrators, including parenting coordinators, to certify that they have screened both parents separately for power imbalances and family violence before they conduct any arbitrations and also throughout their retainer. Lawyers, parents, judges, and even some PCs are not always aware that …
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