What Is Parenting Coordination in BC and When Is It Used?

If you and the other parent already have a parenting agreement or order but keep clashing over how it works day to day, you may have heard about a parenting coordinator. It can feel like a middle path between handling every disagreement yourselves and returning to court each time.

This article explains, in general terms, what parenting coordination is under British Columbia's Family Law Act, how it begins, what a coordinator can and cannot decide, and what to think about before agreeing to it.

This article covers the law of British Columbia.

What a parenting coordinator does

A parenting coordinator is a neutral person who helps parents carry out their parenting arrangements or contact arrangements. A coordinator may act only under a written parenting coordination agreement or a court order, and only to implement parenting arrangements or contact.

In practice, this means the coordinator works with an arrangement that already exists. They are not there to decide whether you are a good parent or to rewrite your whole plan. A coordinator may help the parties reach consensus, and may make determinations only on prescribed matters within the limits set by regulation or by the agreement or order.

How a coordinator is appointed

There are two routes: you and the other parent sign a written parenting coordination agreement, or a court makes an order. Either way, the document matters, because it sets what the coordinator can do.

Unless the agreement or order says otherwise, the coordinator's authority ends after two years, and it can be extended in two-year periods. Once the coordinator is in place, the parties must give the coordinator the information they request.

• Check how long the appointment lasts and how it can be extended.
• Check which kinds of disagreements the coordinator can decide, and which they can only help you talk through.
• Check what happens if one parent stops taking part.

What a coordinator can and cannot decide

The limits are important, especially if you are worried about giving someone else too much say.

Which matters are prescribed is set out in regulation, so it is worth having a lawyer confirm what a coordinator could actually decide in your situation.

Oversight, cost and when it may not fit

A coordinator does not have the last word. A court may change or set aside a determination on application if the coordinator acted outside their authority or made an error of law or of mixed law and fact.

Cost is a practical question to settle early. How fees are handled depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer. Ask for the details in writing before you sign, and think about whether the ongoing expense suits your situation.

Parenting coordination may not suit every family. If family violence or a safety concern is part of your situation, talk to a lawyer before agreeing to work with a coordinator. Family violence and its impact on a child are among the factors considered in best-interests decisions.

What to do next

• Gather your current agreement or order and note the specific points you keep disputing.
• Ask a lawyer whether a coordinator would suit your situation, or whether a change to the order or another dispute resolution step would work better.
• If you consider an agreement, read every term on authority, length, information-sharing and fees before signing.
• Keep records of how the arrangement is working, since they help whichever route you choose.

A lawyer can review the draft agreement with you and explain how it fits with your existing parenting arrangements.

Frequently asked questions