| Summary: | "In the past 30 years, there has been increasing evidence of the detrimental effects of parental conflict on children from divorced families (e.g., Kelly, 2000) as well as the potential benefits of increased involvement of the father (e.g., Lamb, 1981). This evidence has moved courts and other advocates away from adversarial models in making custody decisions and toward joint custody and more collaborative models (Katz, 1994). With these changes, families have often benefited from court-sponsored parent education that focuses on the needs of children and the impact of conflict as well as mediation both before and after divorce. For some families, however, the custody decisions continued to be litigated after the divorce and when education and mediation did not prove effective. Parenting coordination was developed independently in several locations as a means to address this situation (see Chapter 1, this volume, for a detailed review of the history in the United States; see Fidler, 2012, and Fidler & Epstein, 2008, for the history of its development in Canada). A parenting coordinator (PC) is a professional, either appointed by the court or jointly agreed on by the parents, who uses mediation and education techniques to resolve disputes regarding parenting plans but who also has the ability to arbitrate and make decisions when mediation efforts are not successful. The current thinking of many judges who have worked with PCs is to view them as behavioral change consultants or referees for the court. Lawyers, psychologists, and other professionals provide this unique service in many jurisdictions. This book can serve as an introduction to parenting coordination for graduate students in the fields of mental health and law who are interested in working in this area of family law. It also provides an introduction for currently practicing mental health professionals and attorneys who are seeking to move into this area of practice. In particular, the initial chapters, with their coverage of the history of the field, the competencies needed to function effectively as a PC, and an overview of the practice, provide a foundation for individuals contemplating a parenting coordination practice. The book also is designed to be a valuable resource for individuals already engaged in the practice of parenting coordination. The latter part of the book addresses managing a parenting coordination practice, advanced parenting coordination skills, and special topics, all of which should be useful to individuals practicing parenting coordination"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).
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