Parenting Coordination Central: The Premier Resource on Parenting Coordination

PARENTING COORDINATION

VS CO-PARENT COUNSELING

Similar to parenting coordination, co-parenting counseling addresses children's issues associated with divorce and family separation while assisting divorced parents to work more effectively as co-parents. The most important difference is that co-parent counseling is a confidential process. As a result, information gathered through this process cannot be shared with the Court. (Parents may choose to sign a release allowing the co-parenting counselor to consult with their own attorney. However, the co-parent counselor is not required nor expected to share information regarding parental compliance to the Court.) Monitoring parental behaviors for the purposes of sharing information with the Court is not a part of the co-parenting process. Co-parent counseling is suitable only for parents who are demonstrating mild conflict. Co-parenting counseling is not recommended for parents:

experiencing significant conflict
involved in frequent post divorce litigation or
in situations of serious allegations such as parental alienation, parental instability, domestic violence, addictions and child abuse.

Parenting Coordination vs Co-Parent Counseling

	Parenting Coordination	Co-Parent Counseling
The service is generally provided by a licensed psychotherapist	YES	YES
The process educates parents on the impact of conflict on their child	YES	YES
It is considered a form of psychotherapy	NO	YES
It is considered a confidential process	NO	YES
Parents are considered the "clients"	NO	YES
Parents may fire provider at any point without feedback to attorneys	NO	YES
Requires an official appointment	YES	NO
Requires specialized training	YES	NO
Provider must be available to the families for child focused emergencies	YES	NO
Provider must coordinate with all other professionals involved	YES	NO
Provider must monitor parental behaviors	YES	NO
Provider must monitor compliance with court order/settlement agreeement	YES	NO
Provider ensures parental access to the child	YES	NO
Provider may investigate parental allegations	YES	NO
Provider may have authority to require outside services	YES	NO
Provider may have authority to make temporary minor adjustments and recommendations.	YES	NO
Provider may or may not have authority to temporarily arbitrate parental impasses	YES	NO
Provider must report non compliance to both attorneys	YES	NO
When ordered to do so, provider may send final memo to the attorneys and if subpeaned may testify regarding concerns	YES	NO
Provider may do home visits if applicable	YES	NO
Provider assists parents in creating a parenting plan (pre divorce) or make corrections (post divorce)	YES	Rarely
Process uses educational materials	YES	Rarely
Provider may testify in the child's best interest	YES	NO
Process requires parents to return in the future prior to re-litigating	YES	NO
Provider works as an advocate for the child	YES	MAY
Process includes significant others as needed	YES	MAY
Process uses mediation skills to resolve parental disputes	YES	MAY
Provider teaches conflict resolution skills to participants	YES	MAY
The process keeps parents accountable	YES	NO

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