PARENT COORDINATION

     A parent coordinator is a professional with a Master’s or Doctoral degree who is a FL. Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator with a minimum of five years of experience in family counseling and education.

     A parenting coordinator’s role is to “empower families through skills development, assist them to resolve their own disputes, provide access to appropriate services, and offer a variety of dispute resolution forums where the family can resolve problems without additional emotional trauma.” (AD, 2006)

     Dr. Todd is a member of the Parenting Coordination Association of Palm Beach County. These twenty-one members are authorized by the Palm Beach County Courts to assist in effectively implementing existing court orders or issues of shared parenting under certain conditions set by the court. Dr. Todd is also available to assist divorcing parents who are not under a court order with their visitation and parenting schedule.

     Under a court order (and pro se), the Parenting Coordinator’s role is to

1.    Monitor implementation of a voluntary or court-ordered Parenting Plan or Schedule

2.    Facilitate the resolution of disputes regarding the implementation of the Parenting Plan

3.    Recommend strategies for implementing the Parenting Plan

4.    Recommend to the parents changes to the Parenting Plan that do not involve substantive change

5.    Educate the parents in areas of effective communication, parenting, child development, conflict disengagement, and children’s issues, that arise when the child is caught in the middle of parental disputes.

     As a Parent Coordinator Dr. Todd will not mediate or serve parents as a psychotherapist. She can, however, refer the parents to competent professionals.

Appointments can be made for during the day or early evening. Each parent is responsible for one-half of the $150.00 fee, which is paid in advance at the time of the session by check or cash.