Below is an excerpt, the full post is available here.
“Parenting Coordination is taking off in a major way. Many states are adopting the practice of putting divorcing families in front of a Parenting Coordinator to lessen the number of expensive, destructive custody trials. A Parenting Coordinator, like a Mediator, focuses on both parents’ perspective and attempts to draw up a Parenting Plan that both parents can agree on. This includes primary residence, visitation, rights and duties, and may or may not include a child support agreement.
“In a way, I am very much in favor of the concept. Taking families out of the litigation forum is a wise idea. Courts were not designed to handle family dynamics and usually intensify any existing conflicts by the fact that civil courtrooms pit a petitioner and a respondent against one another, with the unfortunate “may the best man win” philosophy taking the lead. Hardly a formula for an outcome supposed to be based on “the best interest of the child”.
“However, like Mediation, Parenting Coordination has its pitfalls. It could become another one of many stations on the divorce railroad, prolonging the process, adding expense, and ultimately still ending up in front of a judge if an agreement isn’t reached.
“Additionally, like Mediation, Parenting Coordinators are not required to have a degree or license in most states yet. Anyone can attend a three day training program and get a certificate. Granted, many such programs will only admit social workers, attorneys, and other people in the field, but that’s not a guarantee for qualification. Is three days really all they need to do this difficult work?” …
