A relatively new tool wending its way across the nation are parenting coordinators.

An article from the Minnesota Lawyer gives an overview of parenting coordination as it has been adopted in Minnesota.

Interestingly, there are several notable departures from the Florida implementation.

For example, in Florida, parenting coordinators function only as mediators or facilitators. They do not impose their own decision if the parents are unable to reach an agreement.

And if no agreement is reached, the only consequence is that a report is filed with the court stating that no agreement was reached.

Also, in Florida, parenting coordinators are normally mental health professionals, and the court appointment is usually of a very short duration.

Parenting coordination is still fairly new in South Florida and has yet to gain widespread usage.

Parenting coordination is most likely to be used in high conflict cases, to help parents who can’t agree or communicate on anything, to work out exchange arrangements, visitation schedules and other parenting issues.

Could parenting coordination help in your case?

Read more about Minnesota’s version of parenting coordination in the Harvard University School of Government website article: Parenting coordinators: A new model to resolve parenting disputes.