Parenting Coordination

Prevent conflicts from escalating.

What is Parenting Coordination?

When marital issues are still in the forefront, and the struggles of co-parenting produce stress for the family, Parenting Coordination can be a way to return the focus to the best interests of your child(ren).

We can help you resolve your issues in a healthier, more constructive way.

  • We offer IN-PERSON counselling sessions at one of our two locations: Burlington, Ontario or Oakville Ontario.

    We also offer VIRTUAL counselling sessions either by secure VIDEO or by PHONE.

  • BURLINGTON

    414 Pearl Street, Unit 11
    Village Square, Burlington, ON L7R 2N1

    OAKVILLE

    775 Pacific Road, Unit 34
    Oakville, ON L6L 6M4

  • SPECIALIZED SERVICES

    PARENTING COORDINATION

    FEES: starting at $300+ CDN per hour*

    *Parenting Coordinators work on a retainer system.

    Parties are required to pay a shared retainer for services upon signing the Parenting Coordination contract. Once the retainer has been utilized, parties will share the cost of the Parenting Coordinators hourly fees equally between them at a rate of $300 per hour.

    * Retainer fees vary based upon the length of the PC contract.

    PLEASE NOTE:

    Some clinicians do charge HST as per the CRA requirements.

    Many extended health benefit programs will cover the cost of counselling with a Registered Social Worker. Please check with your insurance provider.

    Additionally, services provided by a Registered Social Worker are tax deductible as a medical expense.

In Ontario, Parenting Coordination is a voluntary process. One party cannot retain the services of a Parenting Coordinator – both parties need to be on board.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to enter Parenting Coordination, the parties involved MUST have a Parenting Plan or a Court Order.

Parenting Coordination is a process in which a neutral third party facilitates divorced or separated parents in understanding and implementing their parenting plan, and/or in enforcing their court order.

Parenting Coordinators are Alternative Dispute Resolution professionals (ADR) who are child focused; and whose role is to help parents co-parent well, so that the level of conflict within the family is lessened.

Reducing conflict is beneficial to children as research shows that it is not divorce that hurts children, but it is the level of conflict between the parents that they are exposed to which is detrimental to their well being.

For Parenting Coordination to be successful, both parents should have similar expectations from the process. Parenting Coordination is neither therapy nor counselling so it is not the appropriate place to bring up past marital issues.

Why consider Parenting Coordination?

“ Effective parenting has nothing to do with pointing our our faults and everything to do with working out solutions.”

L.R. KNOST

There are many kinds of co-parenting relationships. The nature of your co-parenting relationship will depend on many factors - including how well you and the other parent get along - but a Parenting Coordinator can help your family deal with a variety of issues.

PARENTING COORDINATION IS FOR those who are looking for guidance to deal with disputes surrounding:

  • parenting time

  • telephone access

  • transportation of child(ren)

  • child care

  • parenting issues

  • exchange of information issues

  • the child(ren)’s social, emotional, academic, and medical needs

Parenting Coordination can be helpful to parents who are learning to co-parent effectively following their divorce or separation. Typically, this is a period of time where there has been an abundance of change within the family unit which often results in the escalation of parental conflict. The role of the Parenting Coordinator is to help parents successfully navigate their new life changes and to adhere to their parenting plans.

Most importantly, the entire family - especially children - can benefit from Parenting Coordination as it lessens the stress of the co-parents which in turn fosters a calmer and more peaceful environment in both individual homes. Children who witness parents learning to communicate effectively, gain communication skills themselves. They see that people can disagree; have differences in their opinions, but can still maintain the ability to engage with one another respectively.

What to expect and the role of the Parenting Coordinator.

A Parenting Coordinator is a mental health professional whose role is to help parents reduce, mediate, and settle conflicts pertaining to matters regarding their children. The Parenting Coordinator acts as a communication facilitator for families, and may even serve as a provider of parental education. In the case of an impasse or when parents cannot come to reach an agreement, the Parenting Coordinator may also arbitrate decisions within their scope.

The role of the Parenting Coordinator and the limits of their jurisdiction, are outlined directly in the Parenting Coordination Contract which is signed by both parents prior to the commencement of the Parenting Coordination process.

Most Parenting Coordination contracts are for a two year period as this seems to be the usual amount of time needed to get co-parents to manage well on their own. Parenting Coordinators work on a retainer system and the cost of their services is shared equally between the parties in order to preserve the Parenting Coordinators neutrality.

Parenting Coordinators are not permitted to make changes to existing court orders or separation agreements in the areas of Decision Making or Parenting time. There is no alternative resolution process that may do so – only a court can make changes in these areas.

Ideally, the goal of the Parenting Coordinator is to get the parents to a place where their role is no longer required. An effective and successful Parenting Coordinator will help parents resolve the presenting issues; but perhaps more importantly, will supply parents with the right tools so that they may resolve their future issues on their own. In a nutshell, parents need to learn to work effectively with their ex-partners and their children as children fare best when they are shielded from conflict.

We’re here to help your family through this difficult transition.

We are one of a handful of professionals - in our region - who offer therapeutic support for families who need guidance navigating separation, divorce and co-parenting. The specialized services we offer are uniquely designed with healthy family relationships in mind.

Our specialized separation, divorce and co-parenting services are provided by Registered Social Worker and Accredited Family Mediator, Stefanie Peachey and specially trained members of our therapy team. Each member has their own specialties and experience and has been carefully selected to ensure that the right level of expertise and commitment is here for you.

  • Stefanie Peachey

    REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER / ACCREDITED FAMILY MEDIATOR

    MEET STEFANIE

  • Shelby McCaw

    ACCREDITED FAMILY MEDIATOR

    meet shelby

  • Jennifer Barkin

    REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKER / ACCREDITED FAMILY MEDIATOR

    MEET JENNIFER

Let’s talk about how we can help you.

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