The success of parenting coordination depends heavily on the understanding and engagement of the legal professionals involved, writes Anne-Marie Cade.
In high-conflict co-parenting disputes, even final parenting orders or agreements don’t necessarily bring closure for the parents. When parents continue to engage in chronic disputes over day-to-day decisions, transitions and can’t communicate in a constructive manner, the result is not just emotional exhaustion – it causes ongoing harm to the children. This is where the intervention known as parenting coordination can be useful. This intervention is a post-order, child-focused dispute resolution process designed to assist parents in implementing what’s set out in their parenting orders, reduce the conflict and shield children from ongoing hostility.
While the parenting coordination model is still relatively new in Australia, it has been widely adopted in jurisdictions like the United States, Canada and South Africa, and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) has set out guidelines, which were updated in 2019 for the process. Australian family lawyers are beginning to explore its potential, especially for families who return repeatedly to court over minor parenting disputes. However, since the practice is unregulated in Australia and there is no legislation or guidelines, before recommending the process, it is essential that lawyers understand what parenting coordination is, what it isn’t, and how to prepare clients for its success.
What is parenting coordination?
Parenting coordination is a child-focused, court-ordered and time-limited process conducted by a trained parenting coordinator (PC). The PC helps parents implement what’s set out in their parenting orders, monitors compliance with the orders, educates the parents on child development and conflict management skills and helps the parents resolve day-to-day disputes in a timely manner. In some jurisdictions, PCs may also be given limited decision-making authority to resolve minor issues when parents reach an impasse; however, in Australia, this is not the case.
Parenting coordination does not replace the legal process. It is not therapy or mediation, and cannot be used to renegotiate parenting arrangements in a substantive way. Instead, the focus is on helping parents implement what is set out in the parenting orders and supporting the parents to co-parent peacefully. The PC is essentially a peacekeeper and also serves as a conflict coach, helping reduce reliance on the court system.
What parenting coordination is not
It is important for lawyers to understand and clearly communicate to clients what parenting coordination is not:
What lawyers should consider before recommending PC
1. Assess suitability
The process is most appropriate where:
It may be contraindicated where:
A thorough screening for domestic violence should always precede a referral.
2. Prepare the client
Clients need to understand that PC is not about revisiting grievances or controlling the other parent. Lawyers should:
This is especially important for high-conflict personalities who may seek to manipulate the process or derail progress.
3. Draft appropriate orders
The process works best when the role is clearly authorised by the court and agreed to in writing. Lawyers should assist in:
Orders should also specify the types of disputes the PC can assist with (e.g., changeover logistics, holiday scheduling, communication protocols). The more detail there is in the order, the less room for conflict.
4. Choose a qualified parenting coordinator
There is currently no national accreditation body in Australia for parenting coordination, but emerging best practice suggests that PCs should:
Lawyers should refer only to qualified professionals who understand the boundaries of the role and work in a trauma-informed, child-centred way.
What lawyers can do to support the process
Conclusion
Parenting coordination offers an innovative, practical and child-focused alternative to repeated litigation. When used appropriately, it can be transformative for high-conflict families – reducing stress, protecting children and supporting compliance with orders.
However, its success depends heavily on the understanding and engagement of the legal professionals involved. By carefully screening cases, drafting robust agreements and preparing clients with realistic expectations, lawyers play a critical role in ensuring parenting coordination achieves what it’s designed to do – help parents shift from conflict to cooperation and ensure that children feel safe, secure, and supported.
Anne-Marie Cade is a nationally accredited mediator, a family dispute resolution practitioner, a certified divorce coach, a parenting coordinator, and a Churchill Fellow.
