Parenting Coordinator

A parenting coordinator is an impartial individual, usually someone with experience both as a mediator and in child custody matters, who is designated by the parties or appointed by the court to assist the parties in reaching agreement about child-related issues arising during or after divorce. In some circumstances, the parenting coordinator is given the authority to make binding decisions (subject to court review) concerning parenting issues if the parties cannot reach agreement.

BLC affiliate Dr. Richard Wolman, BLC attorney/social worker Vicki Shemin, and BLC Member David Hoffman frequently serve as parenting coordinators. Richard has directed and published research on the impact of custody disputes on children, and Vicki serves on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Guardians Ad Litem.

The following is a sample clause, from a divorce agreement, providing for the use of a parenting coordinator:

Parenting Coordinator. In the event of a dispute arising between the parties concerning any matter related to the unemancipated children (other than child support issues), the parties shall attempt to resolve the matter by negotiation. If they fail to resolve the matter, either party may present the issue to a neutral person to be designated as parenting coordinator. (In the event that the parties cannot agree on who shall serve as the parenting coordinator, either party may request appointment of a parenting coordinator by the president of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation.) The parenting coordinator (a) shall be entitled to speak with each of the parties separately or together, (b) shall, if necessary, be entitled to speak with other relevant individuals, and (c) shall, if necessary, speak with the children if they are at an appropriate age for such a discussion. If after making a good faith effort to resolve the matter with the parenting coordinator, the disagreement remains unresolved, either party may request that the parenting coordinator make a recommendation. The parenting coordinator's recommendation shall be binding on the parties, provided however that either party may seek review of the parenting coordinator's recommendation by a court of competent jurisdiction if that party believes that the recommendation is not in the child(ren)'s best interest. If the court substantially agrees with or approves the recommendation, the party seeking such review shall pay the other party's reasonable attorney's fees and costs. For purposes of this Agreement, the question of whether the parties have made a good faith effort to resolve the matter with the parenting coordinator shall be determined, if it is in dispute, by the parenting coordinator. In any proceedings with the parenting coordinator, the parties shall share the fee for the parenting coordinator in a manner determined by the parenting coordinator, who shall take into account the amount of time spent with each of the parties and, if the amount of time is disparate, the reasons for the disparity.