No therapist-patient relationship and/or privilege is created between the Parenting Coordinator and the clients/parents. Communication between the Parenting Coordinator and the parties is not confidential. The role that is confused the most with Parenting Coordination is that of co-parenting counselor. The major difference is that co-parent counseling is a confidential process, and information gathered through co-parent counseling cannot be shared with the Court. They may appear to be the same service because co-parenting counseling assists the parents to work more effectively as co-parents for the betterment of the child. A Co-parent counselor lacks authority to report non compliance. Parenting Coordinators are expected to testify when needed. Therefore, monitoring of parental behaviors and compliance with court orders cannot be accomplished through co-parent counseling. Parent Coordination is a non-confidential process, and holds the behaviors and conduct of parents accountable Rarely do Parenting Coordinators have to testify. Usually the knowledge that the Parenting Coordinator could testify, is enough to compel meaningfully engagement and best efforts by each parent.

• Shielding the child from conflict;
• Allowing the child to love both parents;
• Reducing the child’s stress;
• Improving the co-parent relationship;
• Developing protocols for coordination of care for the child’s medical and educational needs;
• Increasing parental cooperation and respect;
• Teaching effective communication skills;
• Monitoring any attempts at alienation;
• Mediating (pre-divorce) or clarify an existing parenting plan;
• Reducing future litigation;
• Monitoring parental behaviors and compliance with court orders;
• Assisting Parents with protocols for improved communication;
• Reporting non-compliance to attorneys; Referring those involved for necessary services; and As a last resort, providing testimony for the trier of fact.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years) such as experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect; witnessing violence in the home; having a family member attempt or die by suicide. Also included are aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding such as growing up in a household with instability due to parental separation, substance misuse, and mental health problems. ACEs have been widely studied for thirty years.

“A large and growing body of research indicates that toxic stress during childhood can harm the most basic levels of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, and that such exposures can even alter the physical structure of DNA (epigenetic effects). Changes to the brain from toxic stress can affect such things as attention, impulsive behavior, decision-making, learning, emotion, and response to stress. Absent factors that can prevent or reduce toxic stress, children growing up under these conditions often struggle to learn and complete schooling. They are at increased risk of becoming involved in crime and violence, using alcohol or drugs, and engaging in other health-risk behaviors (e.g., early initiation of sexual activity; unprotected sex; and suicide attempts). They are susceptible to disease, illness, and mental health challenges over their lifetime. Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, family, jobs, and depression throughout life—the effects of which can be passed on to their own children.”

-2019 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s publication, Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence