Mediation and co-parenting – resolving conflict, encouraging co-operation

When conflict continues between separated parents, co-parenting may be difficult or impossible, because of ongoing arguments or breakdown in communication.

Mediation enables separated parents to talk with a mediator, separately and/or together, in person or online, to work out arrangements for their children that fake account of their children’s needs and feelings.

Some couples co-parent separately, with little direct contact, transferring their children between them on a fixed schedule.

Others co-parent jointly with flexible arrangements, attending special events together with their children. Each family is unique and mediation needs to be a flexible, tailor-made process, not a standard procedure, to help parents and children manage different sets of circumstances and difficult transitions. Couple relationships can end, but parenting needs to continue.

Picture by Association of Family and Conciliation Courts