Parents in the process of separation or divorce can be referred by their attorneys, by a judge after a custody trial, by a custody evaluator, or can make an appointment with me directly. When parents are court ordered for parenting coordination, a court order, or consent order, specifies the scope of my role. When parents see me voluntarily, I decide with the parents, often with input from their attorneys, what my role will be in working with them.
As a Parenting Coordinator, and as a Collaborative Coach, I focus on helping clients make decisions together about their children, and in some cases, help them develop parenting plans and time sharing schedules that will work for everyone. Parenting plans can include agreements about holidays, summers, make-up time, and any other issues that are relevant to a particular family. Parents are able to review various models of time sharing with me, and have the opportunity to discuss the needs of their particular children. Parenting plans take into account the ages of the children, their temperaments, and the various needs of each parent and the family as a whole.