Parenting Coordinators

Association of New York

Thank you for the privilege of allowing us to present ideas regarding high conflict families to the Commission.

We, the Parenting Coordinators Association of New York (PCANY), are writing to express our concerns regarding the need for minimum training standards for Parenting Coordinators working within the New York State Courts. PCANY is an association of parenting coordinators who support the development and maintenance of the highest standards for the practice of parenting coordination; the responsible development and appropriate use of parenting coordination; and serve as a resource for parenting coordinators and the Courts. We are concerned that standards or guidelines for the selection of parenting coordinators do not yet exist in New York State. Although parenting coordination can be a helpful support for high conflict families, parenting coordination conducted by those without the proper training may in fact exacerbate, rather than ameliorate, the underlying conflict of those very families it is trying to serve. For this reason we are writing the Commission to express our concerns regarding the need for minimum training standards for Parent Coordinators working within the state’s courts.

Parent Coordination is a service that can be used to stabilize both pre and post judgment families and assist parents in finding less adversarial alternatives to settle differences in the best interests of their children without the use of continuing litigation. Parenting Coordination is a child-focused alternative dispute resolution process in which a mental health or legal professional, with conflict-resolution training and experience, assists parents implement their court-ordered parenting plan. This objective is accomplished by facilitating the resolution of their disputes in a timely manner; educating parents about children’s needs; and with prior approval of the parties and/or the court, making decisions within the scope of the court order or appointment contract. We are pleased that a prototype program for parenting coordination was prompted by the Court in Nassau County under the tutelage of the Honorable Anthony Marano, Honorable Ruth Balkin and the Honorable Robert Ross; and that this program has evolved into the regular use of Parenting Coordinators.

However, there is little guidance for many judges and attorneys throughout New York State about how to select appropriate professionals to appoint as parenting coordinators.

The use of parenting coordination started in California and Colorado in the early 1990’s. This professional role is now used in many states and jurisdictions that have established standards and guidelines. An international organization focused on issues involving custody and divorce, the Association of Family and Conciliatory Courts (AFCC), has studied the use of parenting coordination in various jurisdictions and has established a set of model standards of practice, Guidelines for Parenting Coordination, May 2005 (enclosed).

“The overall objective of parenting coordination is to assist high conflict parents to

implement their parenting plan, to monitor compliance with the details of the plan, to

resolve conflicts regarding their children and the parenting plan in a timely manner, and

Parenting coordination is a quasi-legal, mental health, alternative dispute resolution

frequently reserved for those high conflict parents who have demonstrated their longer term

inability or unwillingness to make parenting decisions on their own, to comply with

parenting agreements and orders, to reduce their child-related conflicts, and to protect

their children from the impact of that conflict. Because the PC makes recommendations

and/or decisions for the parties and possibly reports to the court, the PC should be

appointed by and be responsible to the court. This delegation of judicial authority is a

serious issue and courts should only appoint qualified professionals. The power and

authority inherent in the role of the PC are substantial whether stipulated by the parties

or assigned by the court. Therefore, it is important that any jurisdiction implementing a

parenting coordination program adopt and adhere to guidelines for PC practice and

The AFCC, Parenting Coordination guidelines recommend the necessary entry level of experience and training for a professional to be appointed as a Parenting Coordinator. PCANY supports the standards contained in the AFCC document and recommends that the standards in New York State should be at this level or higher. In general, these standards maintain that parenting coordinators have met the following experience and training: a licensed professional with at least five years of experience with the courts and high conflict families; training and experience in mediation related to resolving family conflicts; and training in parenting coordination, substance abuse, court processes, dynamics of divorcing families, domestic violence and conflict resolution as it relates to parenting coordination. These are recommended entry level of experience and training for parenting coordination. When starting a parent coordination practice, professionals should receive supervision and consultation until they gain more experience as a parenting coordinator. A list of the suggested minimum training and experience recommended by PCANY for parenting coordination is enclosed.

There is a danger that untrained or under trained professionals will be appointed as parenting coordinators. Sub-standard providers can do irreparable harm to families and if problems develop this will set back the use of parenting coordinators in New York State for many years. We recommend that the term “parenting coordination” be used for a specific type of dispute resolution intervention and that parent coordinators have, at a minimum, a standard level of training and experience. We believe that the use of standards will increase the quality of service as well as the public’s desire for this type of intervention.

Please consider PCANY a resource regarding the use of parenting coordination in New York State.