A parenting coordinator helps high-conflict families implement parenting arrangements without returning to court every time a dispute arises. Here's how the role works in BC and when it makes sense.
Parenting coordinators are one of the most underused — and most effective — tools for high-conflict families in BC. If you and your former partner have a parenting agreement or court order in place but can't implement it without constant fighting, a parenting coordinator can change the dynamic significantly.
What Is a Parenting Coordinator?
A parenting coordinator (PC) is a neutral professional — usually a lawyer, psychologist, or social worker with specialized training — appointed to help parents implement an existing parenting order or agreement. Their role sits between mediation and arbitration: they help parents resolve day-to-day disputes about parenting arrangements and, where parents cannot agree, can make binding decisions on specified issues.
In BC, parenting coordinators operate under the *Family Law Act* (section 15) and the *Parenting Coordinator Regulation*. They are appointed either by agreement between the parents or by court order.
What Does a Parenting Coordinator Actually Do?
A PC's job is to help parents implement their parenting arrangement, not to rewrite it. They handle the day-to-day friction that makes co-parenting difficult — the disagreements about schedule changes, school decisions, medical appointments, holiday logistics, communication protocols.
Specifically, a PC can:
- Help parents communicate more constructively
- Assist parents in interpreting and applying the terms of their existing order or agreement
- Mediate disputes about day-to-day parenting decisions
- Make binding decisions on specified issues when parents cannot agree (within the scope of their appointment)
- Monitor compliance with parenting arrangements
- Provide recommendations to the court when required
What a Parenting Coordinator Cannot Do
A PC cannot change the terms of an existing court order — they can only help implement it. They cannot make decisions about major parenting changes (such as relocating with a child) or override a judge's order. If a fundamental change to the parenting arrangement is needed, that still requires a court application or a new agreement.
When Is a Parenting Coordinator Useful?
A PC is most effective for families where:
- A parenting order or agreement exists but is constantly disputed in its implementation
- Parents communicate poorly and minor issues escalate into major conflicts
- Court applications are being filed repeatedly over implementation disputes — driving up legal costs for both parties
- Children are being exposed to significant parental conflict
- One or both parents struggle to separate their co-parenting relationship from their personal conflict
How Is a Parenting Coordinator Appointed in BC?
Parents can jointly agree to appoint a PC and set the terms of the appointment in writing. If parents cannot agree, either party can apply to the BC Supreme Court for an order appointing a PC. The court can impose a PC appointment where it is in the best interests of the child.
How Long Does a Parenting Coordinator Stay Involved?
Most PC appointments in BC are for one to two years, renewable by agreement or court order. Some families use a PC intensively for a short period during a high-conflict transition and then phase out the role as communication improves. Others maintain a PC on a longer-term basis.
What Does a Parenting Coordinator Cost in BC?
PC fees vary but typically range from $200 to $400 per hour. Costs are usually shared equally between the parents, though the allocation can be adjusted by agreement or court order. While there is an upfront cost, most families find that a PC saves significant money compared to the cost of repeated court applications over the same disputes.
Yes, within the scope of their appointment. A parenting coordinator in BC can make binding decisions on day-to-day implementation issues specified in their appointment agreement or court order. These decisions are not court orders themselves, but they are binding on the parties and can be enforced — a party who refuses to comply can be brought back to court.
Yes. Either parent can apply to the BC Supreme Court to review a PC's decision. The court can confirm, vary, or set aside the decision. This review process is meant to be a safeguard, not a routine appeal route — using it frequently would undermine the purpose of the PC appointment.
No. A parenting coordinator is a neutral professional whose focus is the best interests of the children. They do not advocate for either parent. Where they make decisions, those decisions are based on what best implements the existing parenting arrangement in a way that serves the children's wellbeing.
BC's Parenting Coordinator Regulation sets out specific requirements: a PC must be a member in good standing of a regulated profession (law, medicine, psychology, social work, or similar), have at least five years of professional experience working with families, and have completed approved training in parenting coordination. They must also comply with the BC Parenting Coordinator Guidelines.