==Introduction==
Parent Coordination
Introduction
When parents have a Separation Agreement or Court Order that establishes a parenting plan, but they are still fighting over the details, they may agree, or be Ordered by the Court, to have a Parenting Coordinator to assist them in resolving those issues instead of repeatedly coming back to Court. Parenting Coordination is a child-centered dispute resolution process aimed at high conflict personalities.
Parenting coordination uses aspects of '''What a Parent Coordinator Is'''A parent coordinator (PC) is a lawyer or mental health professional (psychologist, counsellor, social worker, family therapist) with specialized training in family law, mediation and , arbitration to resolve disputes about parenting, once the parties have reached a final order or agreement dealing with parenting arrangements communications skills development, high confict family dynamics and contact child development . Parent Coordinators are members of the BC Parenting coordination is only useful for parents who seem to always find themselves arguing about parenting despite their order or agreementCoordinators Roster Society [http://www.bcparentingcoordinators. com/ BC Parenting coordination is not for people who don'Coordinators Roster Society] and governed by the Society as well as the Family Law Act[[Family Law Act]], and the Family Law Act Regulations[http://canlii.ca/t argue about parenting or who are able to resolve their disagreements without intervention/8rdx Family Law Act Regulation].
Parenting coordinators are family law lawyers, mediators '''What a Parent Coordinator Does'''The parent coordinator provides parties who cannot agree on aspects of parenting with a relatively quick and arbitratorsinformal way to resolve their disputes. Regardless of how detailed a parenting plan or order may be, counsellors, social workers some parents will always find things to argue about and psychologists with special training it is the children who pay the price for this kind of parental behavior. A parent coordinator may be useful in mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination, family violence, communication skills development, and high-minimizing that conflict by attempting to educate the parents on how to manage conflict family dynamicsin a healthy way. If that doesn’t work the PC will mediate or, as required by a last resort, arbitrate the dispute between the [http://canliiparents.ca/t/8rdx Family Law Act Regulation]. Parenting coordinators are hired on a The long term-basisgoal of the PC is to enable the parents to parent in a healthy and supportive way, without the need for renewable terms of between six months Parenting Coordinators or frequent applications to two yearsCourt, although that goal may not be attainable for some parents.
Once Some examples of what a parenting coordinator has been retained, either parent PC may ask do are:-deciding extra curricular activities and how they will be paid-deciding what school the parenting coordinator to resolve child will attend-determining if a dispute. The parent with the concern will contact the parenting coordinator and explain the problem and his child needs tutoring, therapy or her preferred solution. The medical treatment-arranging parenting coordinator will discuss the problem with the other parent to get time for special events-deciding how a child’s belongings should be distributed between his or her perspective on parents’ homes-deciding the issue and will then work with both parents to find a resolution everyone can agree to. However, specifics of parenting time if the parents can't reach agreement Agreement or if the issue Order is very urgent, more general (for example the parenting coordinator may arbitrate agreement says the dispute and impose a resolution. This process repeats whenever a new issue arises that needs to be resolved.parents will share time approximately equally but doesn’t say exactly how)
Parenting coordinators and the parenting coordination process are governed by the ''[[Family Law Act]]'What a Parent Coordinator Doesn’t Do'''A parent coordinator does not;-make original orders for Parenting Time-make decisions changing custody or guardianship agreements or orders-deal with property division, spousal support, or child support (with the [http://canlii.ca/t/8rdx Family Law Act Regulation] and the codes possible exception of conduct and practice standards established by any practice group a parenting coordinator may belong to, such as the [http://www.bcparentingcoordinators.com/ BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society]special expenses) .
===What '''How the Parent Coordinator Works'''The PC is appointed by agreement or court order. An agreement or order appointing a parenting coordination deals coordinator should specify who is being appointed; a list a of parenting coordinators is available at the website of [http://www.bcparentingcoordinators.com/member-roster/ BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society]. Because the PC role is relatively invasive in a family’s life, some PC’s offer an opportunity for the parents to have a relatively short meeting with him or her to meet each other and discuss the role, prior to the formal appointment, either at a fixed cost or no cost.Once the parents and the PC agree, they will enter a Parenting Coordination Agreement (live link to agreement at Roster Society site) which sets out in some detail what the PC will do, how it will be done, the cost and how it is to be paid. The agreement also provides for the term of the arrangement. It may be as short as 6 months but most PC’s will require that the term be at least 12 to 24 months with an opportunity for the parents to renew the contract if the PC remains willing. Most PCs will require a retainer and/or a deposit of $5000 to $10,000 and up. The parents must each then pay their share of the parenting coordinator's retainer. As with===a lawyer, the retainers paid to the parenting coordinator are security for the parenting coordinator's future bills. When such bills are issued, parenting coordinators will pay themselves by drawing on parties' retainers.
Parenting coordination addresses how final orders and agreements about parental responsibilities, parenting time and contact are interpreted and implemented. Although Some parenting coordinators will also have ask for an additional retainer, called a deposit. This money is held in reserve to enable the authority parenting coordinator to make <span class="noglossary">minor</span>, usually temporary, changes to those orders finish dealing with a problem in the event that a party's retainer runs out in the middle of a dispute and agreements, parenting coordinators do not have the ability party refuses to make changes about important issues like guardianship replenish his or her retainer. PC’s charge by the hour for all time spent working with the allocation of parental responsibilitiesfamily so they are very expensive. They may be cheaper in the long run than paying lawyers for numerous applications to Court but they may be more expensive than most families can afford.
Parenting coordinators can also deal with <span class="noglossary">minor</span>, often temporary, issues that aren't covered by an order or agreement, like: *Depending on the arrangements for a special event,*the distribution of a child's clothing circumstances and toys between homes,*where a child will go to school,*the child's need for counselling, therapy, or tutoring, and*the child's participation in sports and other extracurricular activities. Parenting coordination also tries to address some age of the problems that contribute to the parties' disagreements. This might include helping the parties to work on how they communicate with each other or how they manage conflict, or it might include helping the parties better understand how their children experience their conflict. ===What parenting coordination might deal with=== Parenting coordination usually does not deal with child support or children's special expenses. However, if the parents and the parenting coordinator agree, the parenting coordinator may assist the parents with things like: *reviews of child support, where the review is required by an order or agreement,*deciding which expenses qualify as a special expenses, and*determining the amount of each parent's contribution also be asked to the children's special expenses. Many parenting coordinators won't address these issues. The parenting coordinators most likely to agree to address issues like these are parenting coordinators who are also family law lawyers. ===What parenting coordination won't deal with=== Parenting coordinators cannot assist with any subjects that are expressly excluded by an order or sign a parenting coordination agreement. As well, parenting coordinators cannot deal with: *the division or possession number of property or consent forms giving the division of debtchildren’s doctors,*appointing or removing a guardian of a childcare providers,*changes to the allocation of parental responsibilities between guardiansteachers,*giving parenting time or contact to a person who does not have parenting time or contacttherapists and any other relevant people,*substantial changes permission to parenting time or contact, and*discuss the relocation of a child. Parenting coordinators should not help with a person's entitlement to receive spousal support, problems with the payment of spousal support, or changing an order or agreement about spousal support. ==The parenting coordination process== Parenting coordinators are hired by the agreement of the parties or a court order. Orders for the appointment of a parenting coordinator can be made under s. 15 of the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' family with or without the agreement of the parties. An agreement or order appointing a parenting coordinator should specify who is being appointed; a list a of parenting coordinators is available at the website of [http://www.bcparentingcoordinatorsPC.com/member-roster/ BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society]. ===Signing After the parenting coordination agreement=== First, the parties Agreement has been signed and their parenting coordinator will sign a parenting coordination agreement that talks about the scope of retainer paid, the parenting coordinator's services and authority, how parenting problems will be addressed, parents usually have some issues which have accumulated and how the parties PC will manage the parenting coordinator's fees. In general, the parenting coordinator's fees will be split equally between then meet with the parties, unless they agree otherwise or unless the parenting coordinator has a good reason to assign responsibility for a certain amount of fees to a particular usually in person. It is always helpful if the key terms of the parenting coordination agreement are set out in the order or agreement appointing the parenting coordinatorand usually together, including: *at least for the scope of first meeting. The PC may also meet with the issues the parenting coordinator may address, children and any specific issues the parenting coordinator must addressother people,*a description of the dispute resolution process, including the parenting coordinator's capacity to arbitrate a dispute in the event that consensus cannot be reached,*confirming that the parenting coordination process is not confidential,*the length of the parenting coordinator's retainersuch as teachers, and*the circumstances in which the parenting coordinator can withdraw therapists or doctors who may be terminated from a casehelpful. Many parenting coordinators use the signing of their parenting coordination agreements as an opportunity to have the parties execute releases and authorizations allowing the parenting coordinator to speak The PC will attempt to people like the children's doctorseducate, counsellorsmediate, and teachers. Section 16 of the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' says this: <blockquote><tt>A party mustas a last resort, for the purposes of facilitating parenting coordinationarbitrate, provide the parenting coordinator with</tt></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(a) information requested by the parenting coordinator, and</tt></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><tt>(b) authorization to request and receive information, respecting a child or a party, from a person who is not a party.</tt></blockquote></blockquote> ===The retainer and deposit=== The parents must each then pay their share resolution of the parenting coordinator's retainerissue. As with a lawyerother issues develop, the retainers paid to the parenting coordinator are security for the parenting coordinator's future billssame process applies. When such bills are issued, parenting coordinators will pay themselves Some issues may be resolved relatively quickly by drawing on parties' retainers. Some parenting coordinators will also ask for an additional retainer, called a deposit. This money is held in reserve to enable the parenting coordinator to finish dealing with a problem in the event that a party's retainer runs out in the middle of a dispute and the party refuses to replenish his phone or her retainer. ===The introductory meeting=== Nextemail, the parenting coordinator other issues will meet separately with each party to explain the parenting coordination process require in more depth and take a detailed history of the parties' relationship and proceedings in courtperson meetings. Depending on the age of the children, the parenting coordinator Either or both parents may want to meet the children as well. Once these introductory matters have been taken care of, either party can bring a parenting problem an issue to the parenting coordinator when a problem arisesPC for resolution. Parenting coordinators will often deal with dozens of these disputes during their retainer. ===Dealing with disputes=== Where there is a problem, Although the parenting coordinator will listen PC has no power to the party raising the issue and then contact the other party force anyone to get his or her take on things. Depending on the nature do anything, it is worth noting decisions of the parties and the nature of the problem, the parenting coordinator PCs may: *meet with be enforceable by the parties separately or together about the issue,*interview the children Court. Parents who fail to get meet their input on obligations under the issue,*speak to the children's counsellors, doctors, teachers, instructors, PC agreement or coaches, and*speak fail to any other <span class="noglossary">third party</span> who may have helpful information about the issue. ====The consensus-building phase==== Except in cases of real urgency, the parenting coordinator will try to resolve the dispute attend meetings arranged by attempting to help the parties reach their own agreement on this issue, much PC may be penalized in the manner of a mediator. This process can take time costs and requires lots their lack of communication. As a result, when an issue is genuinely urgent, the consensus-building phases cooperation may be shortened or skipped altogether. Most parenting coordinators will do everything possible to help the parties reach a settlement of a parenting dispute. Imposing a resolution on a dispute should be a last resort only. ====The determination-making phase==== When settlement is impossible, or if a problem is urgent and must be dealt with quickly, the parenting coordinator will make a <span class="noglossary">decision</span>, called a ''determination'', resolving the problem, much in the manner of an arbitrator. The parenting coordinator will warn the parents when it becomes necessary to make a determination, and, depending on the time available, will make sure that each party has provided all of the information and arguments they wish to provide and has had the opportunity to address the information and arguments provided reported by the other party. The parenting coordinator's determination will be given PC to the parties in writing, even if the parenting coordinator first made his or her determination orally. This is a written statement of the determination and the reasons for that determinationCourt. ===Enforcing a determination===
Parenting coordinators' determinations may be enforced by filing them in court, either under Rule 12 of the [http://canlii.ca/t/85pb Provincial Court Family Rules] or Rule 2-1.1 of the [http://canlii.ca/t/8mcr Supreme Court Family Rules].