According to AFCC Task Force, parenting coordination is a child-focused alternative dispute resolution process in which a mental health or legal professional with mediation training and experience assists high conflict parents to implement their parenting plan by facilitating the resolution of their disputes in a timely manner, educating parents about children’s needs, and with prior approval of the parties and/or the court, making decisions within the scope of the court order or appointment contract.
The overall objective of parenting coordination is to assist high conflict parents to implement their parenting plan, to monitor compliance with the details of the plan, to resolve conflicts regarding their children and the parenting plan in a timely manner, and to protect and sustain safe, healthy and meaningful parent-child relationships.
Parenting coordination is a quasi-legal, mental health, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process that combines assessment, education, case management, conflict management and sometimes decision-making functions.
The PC should use or gather written or verbal statements of the dispute from each party, as well as other relevant sources of information. The methodology used by the
PC shall be fair to both parties, and be transparent to both the court and the parties. Each party shall be given an opportunity to be heard in the process. Notice shall be given as to what is expected from the participation of the parties and the consequences of nonparticipation. If one party refuses to cooperate after notice, then the PC may continue to resolve the dispute.
See Oregon Statute 107.425 for more information on Parent Coordinators