Co-parenting Assistance

Family Law Support

Parenting Partnerships, Inc. provides family life education
that strengthens and stabilizes family relationships.

Parenting Partnerships offers guidance and support to help parents navigate the legal process of divorce or ongoing custody issues as it pertains to their children. Regardless of where parents are in this process co-parenting assistance helps them examine their options in order to make informed decisions - decisions required at a time when emotions may be high, finances may be stressed, and children need all the support from their parents they can get.

Conflict creates distress for parents and children far beyond the decision to parent from two homes. Co-parenting challenges may not be anticipated when creating temporary orders or the final decree. In the event parents are not able to resolve disagreements, they still have several options available if they reach an impasse.

1. They can discuss pros and cons of any given disagreement and try to reach a solution themselves.
2. They can go through their attorneys and possibly end up in court and let the judge decide.
3. Or, they can utilize neutral professionals to create more peaceful options in the best interest of their children.

While divorce itself places children at risk, research has shown that the strongest predictor of child maladjustment after divorce is exposure to high levels of inter-parental conflict. This is particularly true when conflict is hostile, aggressive, poorly resolved, and focused on issues affecting the children. Such conflict occurs in 10% to 15% of families following the final decree. When such conflict continues at this high level for several months or for years, children and parents suffer significant and prolonged distress.

Intense and prolonged inter-parental conflict also causes problems for children indirectly. It impairs a parent's ability to deal effectively with their children. It often draws children into the conflict and disrupts their relationships with one or both parents. Parents who manage to protect their children from divorce-related conflict may encounter challenges when new situations arise - i.e., remarriage, new siblings, relocations.

Parenting Partnerships provides a variety of options to help parents meet these challenges. Our Certified Family Life Educators work with families to help them:

• Improve communication skills to facilitate effective co-parenting/parenting
• Reduce chronic litigation
• Restructure and restabilize homes
• Work with parents to facilitate the development of shared parenting plans that work in the best interest of their children
• Determine strengths that will assist parents in reaching their co-parenting goals
• Look at behaviors and ways of thinking that get in the way of reaching their goals
• Assist parents in complying with court orders
• Raise awareness and skill in collaborative planning and decision making
• Facilitate communication between parents and between parents and others who relate to their children - i.e. grandparents, school personnel, and therapists
• Use mediation techniques to resolve specific issues

Co-parenting Assistance is a voluntary confidential process that focuses on the needs of each individual family. Please contact us for more information.