Wondering how to choose the right PC for your matter?

-3 minute read

We regularly receive enquiries from family law practitioners, including lawyers and family report writers, seeking to refer families to a Parenting Coordinator (PC). They are looking for the right fit between the family and the practitioner.

Choosing a Parenting Coordinator involves considering how the practitioner’s professional background, experience and working style align with the particular family and its circumstances. Practitioners from a range of disciplinary backgrounds may complete the same PC training, yet bring different strengths to the role. Those differences matter when deciding who is best placed to work with your client or clients.

Professional background and relevant experience A PC’s professional background provides useful context. They may be lawyers, psychologists, social workers or Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners (FDRPs), but their experience with comparable matters deserves closer attention.

Relevant strengths might include experience working with coercive control, complex communication issues, entrenched disputes or families navigating a child’s additional needs. A professional title alone does not establish whether a practitioner is the right fit.

Where domestic and family violence is present, experience recognising patterns of abuse and managing associated risks is particularly important. Similarly, where interpreting and implementing court orders is a significant issue, a PC with a legal background may be a useful starting point.

Working style and co-parenting dynamics

Consider how the PC’s working style is likely to interact with both parents’ personalities and behaviour, particularly under pressure. An important distinction is how a practitioner balances authority, flexibility and education. This can be difficult to assess from a website profile alone.

Where one parent is highly dominant and the other tends to concede, a PC with a calm, authoritative presence and a structured approach may be particularly suitable. The practitioner needs to maintain boundaries while recognising that apparent agreement may reflect a reluctance to disagree. A firm manner alone does not necessarily demonstrate this capacity.

A different approach may suit parents who place considerable weight on precision, research and detailed reasoning. A PC who communicates thoughtfully, explains the basis for recommendations in writing and provides clear information may offer a better fit. However, where attention to detail repeatedly impedes progress, that same practitioner needs to keep discussions proportionate and bring them back to the practical matters at hand.

Some matters require both approaches within the same session. One parent may seek extensive explanation while the other becomes overwhelmed by lengthy discussion. In these circumstances, the PC’s ability to adjust the pace and level of detail, while remaining responsive to cultural or linguistic considerations, may be more relevant than whether their manner is generally described as firm or gentle.

The stage of the matter

Whether a family needs assistance implementing final orders or one parent is raising concerns about alleged contraventions should also inform the choice of PC.

These circumstances may favour a practitioner with substantial experience working within the court context, while maintaining clear boundaries around their role as a PC. The terms of appointment and any reporting responsibilities are also relevant. Australian best-practice guidelines emphasise the importance of reviewing relevant orders and records and clearly defining the PC’s scope of authority, access to information and limits of confidentiality.

For families with settled and established parenting arrangements, experience managing recurring implementation difficulties may carry greater weight. The work centres on translating those arrangements into day-to-day parenting practice and addressing the disputes that arise along the way.

Availability and continuity Practical compatibility deserves equal consideration. For parents with demanding work or other commitments, evening or weekend appointments may make sustained participation in Parenting Coordination more achievable.

The PC’s capacity to provide continuity, the frequency of appointments and arrangements for communication between sessions also matter. A process that is difficult for either parent to access or maintain is unlikely to achieve its full potential.

A suitable PC brings these elements together: relevant experience, a working style responsive to the family’s dynamics and availability that supports ongoing participation. The strongest fit will vary from one matter to the next.

Making the referral Finding the right PC for your client or clients requires careful consideration.

As the adoption of Parenting Coordination continues to expand in Australia, family law practitioners are becoming increasingly familiar with the process and making more referrals. Individual PCs are also becoming known for their areas of specialisation, professional interests and distinctive working styles.

At PCA, we encourage our members to be explicit about their experience, areas of expertise and approach in their directory profiles. This helps you, their professional colleagues, make more informed referral decisions.

Ultimately, successful Parenting Coordination is about supporting better outcomes for children and helping separated parents navigate the practical challenges of implementing their parenting arrangements.

Choosing the right Parenting Coordinator is an important part of achieving that outcome.