Parenting Coordination Services
Parenting Coordination (PC) is a service for parents who have ongoing disputes about a custody order, parenting plan or separation agreement and who do not want to go to court to resolve those disputes. Parenting Coordination is designed for parents who cannot agree on day-to-day matters affecting their children. Our Parenting Coordinators have experience with high conflict families, child development, family systems and patterns of domestic violence, as well as specific training in the unique process of Parenting Coordination.
Goals of the Parenting Coordination Process
The goal of Parenting Coordination is to help parents resolve disputes in a way that minimizes the conflict between them and reduces the impact of that conflict on their children. It is intended to help moderate to high-conflict parents improve their communication, learn effective negotiation strategies, and develop skills to reduce conflict. The Parenting Coordinator will also help to interpret areas of the Parenting Plan, Court Order or Separation Agreement that may be causing many of the conflicts. The Parenting Coordination process may involve coaching, education, mediation, and arbitration.
Arbitration During the Parenting Coordination Process
When the Parenting Coordinator cannot assist the parents to reach agreements, the Parenting Coordinator is authorized to make decisions for them through the arbitration process. These decisions are legally binding.
Retaining a Parenting Coordinator
All Parenting Coordinators in Ontario enter into private contracts with the parents. The term of these contracts is generally two years but will be decided between the parents, counsel and the Parenting Coordinator. Each parent is required to have independent legal advice before signing the Parenting Coordination agreement. The involvement of counsel throughout the term of the Parenting Coordination Agreement varies with each file. Parenting Coordinators at Riverdale Mediation have the highest level of additional training possible, and they have years of family law experience as a foundation. In addition, at Riverdale Mediation, we also teach Parenting Coordination. Parenting Coordinators should be certified, through organizations such as the Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario.