Parenting Coordination: Helping and Hindering Factors in the Resolution of Conflict in the Child's Best Interest.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the factors in parenting coordination that helped or hindered the successful resolution of family conflict in the child’s best interests. The role of the parenting coordinator (PC) is a hybrid role that combines psychology, conflict resolution, and arbitration to help parents who remain in high conflict following separation and divorce. Using the enhanced critical incident technique (ECIT), eight PCs from the British Columbia Parenting Coordinator Roster Society (BCPCRS) were interviewed. The results covered a wide range of aspects of parenting coordination including PCs process for resolving conflict, and the context and dynamics in which PCs conduct their work. This is the first study on parenting coordination in British Columbia; the findings contribute to a greater understanding of the role for both professionals and the public.