Parenting Coordination in Australia is a growing dispute resolution process designed to support separated or divorced parents who continue to struggle with co-parenting. It’s a child-focused, collaborative process that allows co-parents to manage their relationship with each other while prioritising the wellbeing of their children.
In this guide, we’ll cover what parenting coordination is, how it works, and how it can assist co-parents in managing – and hopefully improving- ongoing parenting disputes.
What is Parenting Coordination?
Parenting Coordination is a child-centered process aimed at assisting parents in resolving disputes and improving communication after separation or divorce. Its main objective is to reduce parental conflict and create a more stable and harmonious environment for children.
While often part of a dispute resolution process, parenting coordination is an ongoing, structured way to help co-parents manage disagreements regarding parenting matters, such as decision-making, communication, and the implementation of parenting arrangements.
In Australia, Parenting Coordination is increasingly recognised as a tool for parents who have family law orders in place but struggle to work collaboratively. It’s particularly helpful when disputes over decisions such as extracurricular activities, school choices or holiday arrangements continue to arise, creating tension between parents, which almost always, affects their children.
Parenting Coordination Basics
Parenting Coordination (PC) is a structured, ongoing process designed to help co-parents navigate their responsibilities with minimal conflict. As a neutral third party, the Parenting Coordinator facilitates discussions and decision-making without taking sides.
Unlike traditional family dispute resolution (FDR), Parenting Coordination is not confidential, meaning discussions can be shared with the courts if necessary. The process is continuous rather than a one-time session, ensuring ongoing support to manage co-parenting challenges while keeping the children’s wellbeing the central focus.
Who Are Parenting Coordinators?
Parenting Coordinators are professionals with extensive experience in family law. They typically come from backgrounds such as social work, family law, counselling, or psychology and are trained to help parents navigate ongoing co-parenting disputes.
In Australia, they must meet the requirements of the Resolution Institute or the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). Many Parenting Coordinators are also accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners, ensuring that they have the right qualifications to handle parenting disputes effectively.
These professionals provide a neutral and structured approach to conflict resolution. They focus on the long-term health of the family dynamic, particularly helping parents develop communication strategies that are more effective and less stressful.
How Parenting Coordinators Work With Divorced Or Separated Couples
The role of a Parenting Coordinator isn’t to make decisions for parents, but rather to facilitate communication, educate both parties about child development and parenting styles and guide parents through difficult decision-making. If one or both parties struggle to adhere to the family law orders or court orders, a Parenting Coordinator can step in to help resolve disagreements and ensure decisions align with those orders.
Parenting Coordination vs. Family Dispute Resolution
While Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) is a widely used form of alternative dispute resolution for family law issues, Parenting Coordination takes the process a step further. The key differences include:
Ongoing vs. One-Time Resolution
FDR is often a one-off meeting designed to resolve a single issue or dispute, or may last a few sessions at most. In contrast, Parenting Coordination is a longer-term arrangement that may involve regular meetings, often lasting for several months or even years, depending on the situation.
Confidentiality
Parenting Coordination differs from FDR in that it is non-confidential. In cases where the family court is involved, the Parenting Coordinator can provide reports to the court based on what was discussed during sessions. This makes it a more transparent process than FDR, where confidentiality is key.
Case Management
Parenting Coordinators can manage ongoing parenting matters, including keeping track of case details, managing urgent issues, and overseeing the implementation of consent orders.
Conflict Resolution
Parenting Coordination goes beyond resolving a single dispute. It helps parents work through ongoing parental conflict and manage disagreements over decision-making, with a focus on fostering a harmonious environment for the children involved.
The Parenting Coordination Process
The Parenting Coordination process typically begins with an intake session, where the Parenting Coordinator meets with both parents (individually) to discuss the current issues and dynamics in the co-parenting relationship. This session sets the tone for the entire process, where the coordinator works to understand the needs, concerns, and goals of both parents.
Steps in Parenting Coordination
- Initial Sessions: The Parenting Coordinator will often begin with an intake meeting, where they meet with each parent separately. This helps to understand the background of the parenting conflict and clarify goals for the process.
- Parenting Coordination Agreement: After gathering necessary information, the Parenting Coordinator will work with both parents to develop a Parenting Coordination Agreement. This document outlines the specific terms of the coordination process, including the roles and responsibilities of each party and the expectations for the co-parenting relationship moving forward.
- Ongoing Sessions: The frequency of meetings will depend on the needs of the parents and children involved. These sessions might occur monthly, bi-monthly, or more frequently if urgent issues arise. Meetings may also be conducted via video conferencing for added flexibility.
- Decision-Making and Dispute Resolution: If a parenting disagreement arises, the Parenting Coordinator helps the parents communicate more effectively and facilitates decision-making processes. They may also offer conflict resolution strategies or intervene when necessary, providing tools to manage disputes without resorting to the family court.
- Follow-Up: Periodic follow-up sessions ensure that the co-parenting relationship continues to improve. These check-ins also provide an opportunity to address new or ongoing concerns and monitor compliance with the family law orders or court orders in place.
The Role of Parenting Coordination in Family Law
Parenting Coordination can be a cost-effective alternative to ongoing litigation between family lawyers or self-represented individuals or the alternative of continuing to co-parent in a way that is not productive.
By reducing the need for multiple court appearances, parents can save time, money, and emotional energy while creating a more cooperative environment for their children. Parenting Coordinators can also help parents remain in compliance with court orders, ensuring that they avoid the need for further legal intervention.
A Parenting Coordinator can help parents implement and adhere to final court orders by clarifying and translating vague or unclear language into actionable steps. They also ensure that the wellbeing of the children remains the top priority and can hold both parties accountable when needed.
Benefits of Parenting Coordination
The Parenting Coordination process has multiple benefits for co-parents:
- Reduced Conflict: By improving communication and offering a structured process for resolving issues, Parenting Coordination helps reduce the amount of conflict between parents.
- Enhanced Co-Parenting Relationship: Over time, parents (hopefully) learn to cooperate more effectively, which can result in a more harmonious relationship for the benefit of their children.
- Compliance With Court Orders: Parenting Coordination services encourage parents to understand and remain compliant with existing court orders, which avoids more serious breaches occurring and keeps ongoing matters out of court.
- Better Focus on Children’s Needs: Parenting coordination prioritises children’s needs and emotional wellbeing, ensuring that decisions are made with the child’s best interests at heart.
- Reduced Stress for Parents and Children: Parenting coordination, which includes ongoing support and conflict resolution, helps alleviate the emotional stress that often comes with co-parenting after separation or divorce.
- Efficient and Timely Resolutions: Issues can be resolved more quickly and effectively than in traditional litigation, helping parents avoid the lengthy and expensive court process. The process allows matters like holidays, or other time-sensitive matters to be addressed with the other parent without having to wait for a court judgement.
Parenting Coordination & Compliance with Family Law Orders
In some instances, if one or both parents are unable to follow the court orders, the Parenting Coordinator can assist in finding a solution, reducing the need for repeated court applications.
A Parenting Coordinator helps parents meet their obligations under family law orders by guiding them through difficult situations and encouraging ongoing cooperation. For parents struggling with parenting disputes or high levels of parental conflict, Parenting Coordination provides a structured and manageable way to stay compliant with family law matters, while still focusing on the wellbeing of their children.
Who Is A Good Candidate For Parenting Coordination?
In cases where family court orders or consent orders are already in place, Parenting Coordination ensures that these orders are adhered to. Parents with a parenting plan can engage the services of a Parenting Coordinator, but both parties must be willing to agree to do so – which often isn’t the case in high-conflict parenting matters.
If orders are in place and not being followed, the court can order this service to be engaged, and likewise, parents can choose to engage with a coordinator instead of going to court by agreement.
Alternatives to Parenting Coordination
While Parenting Coordination is an effective option for many co-parents, it’s not the only form of dispute resolution available. Alternatives include:
- Mediation: Mediation is often a first step in resolving family law disputes. Mediators help parents come to agreements on their own without the need for a Parenting Coordinator.
- Family Dispute Resolution (FDR): A less intensive process than Parenting Coordination, FDR typically occurs in a single session or a series of sessions to resolve issues such as parenting arrangements or child support.
- Therapeutic Jurisprudence: This approach combines legal proceedings with therapeutic interventions aimed at improving the emotional and psychological health of the family, helping parents work through complex issues with professional guidance.
- Family Court: Unfortunately, some matters cannot be resolved out of court, and in these cases, to protect children involved, it may be necessary to have the court make a judgement.
Parenting Coordination – An Excellent Tool For Co-Parents Who Need Support & Don’t Want To End Up In Court
Parenting Coordination is a powerful tool for co-parents struggling with ongoing parenting disputes or parental conflict. It helps improve communication, resolve disagreements, and foster a harmonious environment for the children involved.
If you’re facing challenges in your co-parenting relationship, engaging a Parenting Coordinator could be the key to ensuring a smoother, more cooperative path forward – whether or not you’re already involved in the family court system.
By offering ongoing support, guidance, and dispute resolution, Parenting Coordination provides a practical, cost-effective alternative to lengthy litigation, helping both parents and children thrive in the post-separation family environment. adhered to without the need for constant legal intervention.
If you are struggling to make a co-parenting agreement work or have recently had Parenting Coordination court ordered, please contact the team at Testart Family Lawyers to discuss your options.