Legal Guidance for Parenting Coordination in Treasure Coast, FL
Learn More About Parenting Coordination
To say divorce is a difficult time would be an understatement. Even if everything works well, the now-separated partners and their children often must work through a slew of emotions. Divorces are often far from amicable and require the intervention of a third party. Michael Todd Rebuck, P.A. provides parenting coordination services on the Treasure Coast, including Palm City & Port St. Lucie. Michael has years of experience with family law, and he can help you work through your legal issues and come to a compromise that keeps your children’s best interests at heart.
What Is a Parent Coordinator?
The Florida Parenting Coordination program is a method of conflict resolution that aims to help parents embroiled in a high-conflict divorce or child custody proceeding. It involves assessment, education, case management, conflict resolution, and in the toughest cases, decision-making processes. Parents themselves may request a Parenting Coordinator to help mediate the situation. But in many cases, a judge issues the order when they believe the parents and children would benefit from a third party. In short, this aspect of Florida law assists in developing high-conflict parenting plans that reflect the child’s best interests.
Objectives of Parenting Coordination
Above all, parenting coordination offers a child-focused solution to parenting disputes. These professionals help guide parents toward a plan that minimizes conflict and maximizes the child’s wellbeing. Other objectives of parenting coordination services include:
- Monitoring compliance with the agreed-upon terms
- Maintaining a healthy parent-child relationship
- Creating a safe environment for children
- Reducing long-term conflict
- Minimizing the conflict’s impact on children
The Role of a Parenting Coordinator
Parenting Coordinators are experienced professionals appointed by the court. They are held to the highest standards and undergo years of Parent Coordinator training and experience. These individuals are typically licensed mental health professionals, licensed physicians, attorneys, or certified family law mediators. With so much experience under their belts, Parenting Coordinators can provide numerous functions, including the following:
- Developing a mutually beneficial parenting contract
- Agreeing on a timesharing arrangement
- Promoting good, clear communication
- Educating parents about the effects of high-conflict divorce on children
- Making decisions on behalf of parents that benefit the child
- Exploring courses of action and recommending the best option
- Keeping parents accountable and holding them to the compromises they made
Understanding the Effects of High-Conflict Divorce
It’s in everyone’s best interests to minimize conflict during and after a divorce. However, in some cases, one or both parties just aren’t cooperative. As you enter divorce proceedings, it’s important to understand just how far-reaching the effects of a high-conflict divorce can be. Besides being stressful on the former partners, it can put overwhelming stress on children. Sometimes, a high-conflict divorce can even be traumatic for the child involved. If not handled properly, children can end up dealing with psychological and social problems. Because of this significant impact, many divorcing couples turn to parent coordination for help.
When to Request a Parenting Coordinator
Requesting a Parenting Coordinator is often the last resort for divorcing partners. While few people want to get a legal professional involved in a family matter, parenting coordination is often the best option for everyone with a stake in the situation. When a child is involved in a high-conflict divorce, it’s a good idea to consider parent coordination. Here are a few situations that could call for a third-party intervention:
- High hostility between parents
- Parents are unwilling to compromise and would rather litigate minor issues
- Children feel they need to “pick a side”
- Children are wrongly prevented from seeing one parent
- Potential for domestic violence or abuse
- Children are used as bargaining chips in the divorce
- Little or no communication between divorcing partners
Why Palm City Chooses Us
Over the years, Michael Todd Rebuck, P.A. and his team have come to be known for high-quality legal services, especially within the family law practice area. We’ve worked with dozens of people on parenting coordination, as well as child custody agreements, alimony payments, and enforcement. Our attorney has over 25 years of experience and has helped countless clients resolve their family matters with as little stress as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Parenting coordination is a child-focused alternative dispute resolution process. A parenting coordinator, who is typically a licensed mental health professional, attorney, or certified family law mediator, assists parents in creating or implementing a parenting plan. Parents can voluntarily engage these services, or a Florida judge may order coordination if they believe a third party will benefit the family.
The coordinator helps parents manage conflicts, provides education about the effects of divorce on children, and monitors compliance with court orders. By facilitating communication, the parenting coordinator helps parents establish a collaborative partnership that minimizes stress for the children involved.
Under Florida law, the parenting coordination process is strictly confidential. This confidentiality allows parents to speak openly and work through conflicts without fear that their discussions will be used against them in court.
However, the law outlines exceptions where a parenting coordinator must report information to the court or authorities. These exceptions include situations where there’s reasonable cause to suspect a child or vulnerable adult is suffering abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The coordinator must also report if a parent attempts to wrongfully remove the child from the court’s jurisdiction.
A parenting coordinator handles day-to-day co-parenting disputes that don’t require a judge to alter legal time sharing. If specified in the court order, they address the following types of issues:
- Minor adjustments to parenting time schedules, including holidays and vacations
- Logistics regarding the transitions or exchanges of the children
- Health care management, such as medical, dental, and vision care
- Choices regarding education, religious observances, and extracurricular activities
- Guidelines for communication between the parents
- Rules regarding haircuts, body piercing, and contact with extended family or significant others
A parenting coordinator can only make binding decisions if the parents explicitly agree to grant them this authority. In Florida, “binding” means the parents must follow the recommendation exactly as if a judge had ordered it. Without this mutual agreement, the coordinator’s role is strictly to facilitate communication and provide recommended resolutions.
Yes, a parenting coordinator can make temporary decisions and recommendations, provided these actions fall within the scope of the original court order or appointment contract. They act to resolve immediate impasses so the family can continue functioning without filing new court motions. However, they can’t make decisions that substantially change the parenting plan.
When parents grant decision-making authority to a parenting coordinator, disagreements may still arise. The method for voicing objections is generally outlined in the court order or the initial agreement. In many jurisdictions, a parent has 15 days to file a formal objection to a recommendation or temporary decision made by the parenting coordinator. Once an objection is filed, the court reviews the complaint and schedules a hearing to evaluate the dispute and enter a final, appropriate order.
Parenting coordinators operate year-round to support families through every season. Because summer often brings significant disruptions to standard routines, such as summer camps, extended vacations, and out-of-state travel, the need for conflict resolution increases during these months. The coordinator remains available to mediate temporary schedule variations and ensure smooth transitions while school is out.
Reach Out to the Team Today
Are you struggling through a contentious divorce? Perhaps you’re hoping to learn more about Parenting Coordinator training in Florida. Whatever the case for you, don’t hesitate to give Michael Todd Rebuck, P.A. a call. We offer free consultations where we’ll learn more about your circumstances and begin exploring solutions. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.