What is a “Parent Coordinator”?

Our courts have the authority to appoint a Parent Coordinator when parents cannot resolve day-to-day childrearing issues in a timely manner. A Parent Coordinator, or “P/C”, is a neutral and unbiased individual who assists parties in need of solving the day-to-day parenting problems that arise in the context of family life. This is done by providing guidance and direction to parties who are in conflict with each other.

The primary goals of the P/C are: (1) To aid the parties in monitoring and effectuating the existing parenting plan; (2) To reduce conflict, misunderstandings and miscommunication between the parents; (3) To help reduce litigation filed with the Family Part; (4) To clarify priorities of the parents and their children; (5) To explore possibilities for compromise and fostering sound decisions that will aid positive child development; and (6) To develop methods of communication that promote collaboration in parenting. Of course, the children’s best interests remain as the overall focus.

Even with a restraining order in effect, the P/C facilitates decision-making by the parties whenever practicable. Unlike ordinary mediation, the P/C is given the additional authority to make workable and sensible recommendations on any remaining issue to which the parties still cannot agree.

Some types of issues that the P/C may have to address include:

• Time, place and manner of pick-up and drop-off of the children;
• Childcare arrangements;
• Minor or temporary alteration in parenting schedules for weeknight, weekend, holidays, vacation, and special events that will not substantially alter the parenting plan;
• Dates for summer vacations;
• The parents’ schedules and conditions of phone or other contact (e.g., text and email) with the child while in the other parent’s custody;
• Selection and scheduling of activities, and resolving conflicts between the parties concerning the child’s participation in recreation, enrichment, and extracurricular activities;
• Referrals to other professionals to improve family functioning, including recommendation for custody or other focused evaluations;
• Child’s travel and passport arrangements;
• Equipment and personal possessions of the child, including movement of these items between households for a child’s use;
• Clarification of provisions in parenting plans to address inadvertent gaps that may lead to conflict between the parties, including defining specific hours for pickup/drop-off and transportation during holidays;
• Information exchanges, including school, health, social activities, and communication about the child between the parties;
• Consistency in child disciplinary matters;
• Non-permanent significant changes in a child’s appearance, including haircuts, hair color changes, dress code, manicures;
• Unless limited by a domestic violence restraining order, how the parties communicate with each other, with the child, and in the child’s presence; and
• All other issues agreed upon by the parties and the Parenting Coordinator to help effectuate resolution of custody and parenting issues.

Note that a P/C does not have the authority to make recommendations regarding financial issues or modify legal and physical custody. Those specific types of issues must be resolved by the court or by the parties outside the P/C process.

Our office provides P/C services and can help parties implement their parenting plan. Please contact us, or have your current attorney contact us, if you and your child’s other parent are unable to resolve daily issues on your own.