Parenting Coordination Sydney

Helping separated parents move from conflict to cooperation – with your children at the centre.

Separation doesn’t end a parenting relationship; it changes it. For many families, the hardest part isn’t reaching an agreement – it’s living it out, day after day, when communication is strained, and old conflicts keep resurfacing.

Parenting Coordination is a child-focused process designed for exactly these moments. At Kannen Mediation, Kelly works alongside separated and divorced parents to put their parenting arrangements into practice, resolve the disputes that arise along the way, and rebuild a working relationship that protects children from being caught in the middle.

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What is Parenting Coordination?

Parenting Coordination is a structured, out-of-court dispute resolution process for parents who already have a parenting plan, agreement, or court orders in place, but who continue to experience conflict putting them into action. 

A Parenting Coordinator is a trained, neutral professional who helps parents: 

  • Interpret and apply the terms of their existing parenting arrangements 
  • Resolve the practical disagreements that come up in everyday co-parenting 
  • Communicate more effectively and with less hostility 
  • Reduce the frequency and intensity of conflict over time 
  • Keep decisions focused on what’s best for the children 

Unlike a one-off mediation, Parenting Coordination is an ongoing relationship. We’re there for the recurring friction points – the changeovers, school holidays, and extracurricular clashes. We help small disagreements stay small and get settled quickly.  

A man and woman sit on a sofa in a therapy or counseling session, facing a gray-haired therapist with certificates and notebook.

How Parenting Coordination Differs from Mediation, Arbitration, and Therapy

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Mediation

Designed to help parents reach an agreement at a single point in time. Parenting coordination begins where mediation stops. It helps you put an existing agreement into practice and manage the disputes that come up over the months and years that follow. If you don’t yet have a parenting arrangement in place, family dispute resolution is often the right starting point.

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Arbitration

Involves a third party making a binding determination for the parties. A parenting coordinator’s role is different. We guide parents to their own practical, child-focused solutions.

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Therapy, counselling, and family therapy

Support emotional healing and mental health. Parenting coordination is a dispute resolution service, not a therapeutic one. We focus on communication and practical problem-solving. We work alongside psychologists, counsellors, and other professionals supporting your family.

A parenting coordinator also does not provide legal advice. We work collaboratively with your lawyers so that your legal rights stay protected while you find solutions that feel fair and workable.

Professional psychologist conducting a consultation.

Is Parenting Coordination right for your family?

This service is designed for parents who are committed to making their arrangements work but are finding it difficult on their own. It may be a good fit if you recognise any of the following: 

  • You have a parenting arrangement or court orders, but disagreements keep arising about how they apply in practice. 
  • Communication with your co-parent regularly breaks down or becomes heated. 
  • You find yourselves returning to lawyers or court over relatively minor issues. 
  • Your children are feeling the strain of the ongoing conflict between you. 
  • You want a faster, more affordable, and less adversarial way to resolve disputes as they happen. 

Sometimes parenting coordination is directed by the Court, and your orders may set out how it is to work. Either way, the process suits parents who are ready to build calmer, more reliable co-parenting habits.

Parenting coordination is not usually the right path without an existing parenting plan. If you’re unsure, get in touch. We’ll talk it through honestly and point you in the right direction, even if that direction isn’t us.

What a Parenting Coordinator does and does not do

To help set clear expectations, here’s how we see our role.

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A Parenting Coordinator does

  • Remain neutral and impartial to both parents
  • Keep the focus on the children’s best interests at every step
  • Help parents understand and apply their existing arrangements
  • Facilitate practical solutions to day-to-day disputes
  • Support better, calmer communication between co-parents – including, where it helps, reviewing messages between parents and modelling appropriate language
  • Help both parents understand their children’s developmental needs and how separation affects the whole family

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    A Parenting Coordinator does not

  • Take sides or advocate for either parent
  • Provide legal advice or act as your lawyer
  • Change court orders or formal parenting plans
  • Act as an investigator, arbitrator, mediator, counsellor, lawyer, or family report writer
  • Provide therapy or counselling
  • Replace the court where significant legal decisions are required

    • How the Coordination Process Works

    Every family is different, but the process generally follows these stages:

    01

    Initial enquiry and intake

    We start with a confidential conversation to understand your situation and confirm that Parenting Coordination is appropriate for your circumstances.

    02

    Agreement to engage

    Both parents sign an agreement that sets out the scope of our role, how the process works, confidentiality, and fees, so everyone is clear from the start.

    03

    Establishing the groundwork

    We review your existing parenting plan or orders and meet with each parent to understand the recurring sources of conflict and each person’s concerns.

    04

    Ongoing coordination

    As disputes arise, we work with you (together or separately as needed) to find practical, child-focused solutions. Over time, the goal is to equip you with the tools and communication habits to resolve more on your own.

    Success in parenting coordination is measured by parents needing us less, not more. Sessions are available across Australia by online video (Zoom or Microsoft Teams), with flexible times for busy parents, including evenings and weekends. Process and timeframes are tailored to each family.

    Why Reducing Conflict Matters for Your Children

    Research from the Australian Institute of Family Studies consistently shows that, for most children, it is not separation itself that causes lasting harm, but rather sustained exposure to conflict between parents. Children who are shielded from adult disagreements, supported by predictable routines, and can rely on calm, consistent care tend to adjust well over time.

    That evidence sits at the heart of how we work. By taking the heat out of recurring disputes and helping parents communicate constructively, parenting coordination protects the stability children need to thrive. Kelly’s background in psychology informs every session, helping parents understand how their interactions impact their children and how small changes in communication can make a lasting difference to a child’s wellbeing.

    The benefits parents often experience include: 

    • Less conflict in front of, and about, the children 
    • Faster resolutions to everyday disputes 
    • Lower costs than repeated legal proceedings 
    • Better communication and a more workable co-parenting relationship 
    • More stability and predictability for children 
    Woman with notebook talks to young girl on couch in bright room about why conflict matters to children, teddy bear behind.
    Three women discuss Kannen Mediation in armchairs by a small table in a modern marble-walled office lobby.

    Why Choose Kannen Mediation

    If you are looking for a calm, experienced, and genuinely child-centred approach to parenting coordination. Kelly Neighbour holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University and is a qualified Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Mediator, and Parenting Coordinator. 

    Kelly is trained in parenting coordination by Parenting Coordination Australia, working to the AFCC Guidelines. She also has certification as a Divorce Coach and a Child-Inclusive Mediator. 

    Kelly discovered her passion for mediation while working for the Aboriginal Legal Service, and she combines her legal and psychological skills to help families reach practical, respectful outcomes – with empathy, understanding, and professionalism at the core of her practice.

    At Kannen Mediation, we understand how draining ongoing conflict can be, and we’re committed to helping families find a better way forward. One that puts children first and helps parents move on with their lives. 

    Kannen Mediation is an Australia-wide service, based in Sydney.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Parenting coordination costs $150 per person, per hour at Kannen Mediation.

    Costs are usually shared equally between parents, though you can agree on a different split, and in some cases, the Court may set out how fees are to be shared. We’ll outline fees in your agreement before we begin.

    Mediation helps parents reach an agreement at a single point in time. Parenting Coordination is an ongoing process that helps you put an existing agreement into practice and manage the disputes that come up over time.

    A parenting coordinator helps separated parents resolve everyday disputes quickly and calmly, without each disagreement turning into another round of lawyers or court.

    A parenting coordinator can be a voluntary engagement, recorded together in a parenting plan or consent order. If your matter is before the Court, you can ask the Court to make an order for parenting coordination.

    Co-parenting suits parents who can communicate respectfully and make decisions together, with plenty of day-to-day coordination between the two homes. Parallel parenting is a structured approach designed for higher-conflict situations. A parenting coordinator can help you set up whichever arrangement gives your family the most stability.

    Co-parenting is cooperative; both parents communicate, support each other’s role and put the children’s needs first. Counter-parenting is the opposite pattern, where one parent works against the other: undermining agreed routines, contradicting decisions, or drawing the children into adult disputes.

    The process is conducted confidentially between the two parties; however, parenting coordination doesn’t carry the same statutory confidentiality as mediation. If your matter returns to Court, the process may be used as evidence.

    A parenting coordinator must stay completely neutral. If we have already acted as your mediator or family dispute resolution practitioner, we will refer you on to a trusted colleague with appropriate training in parenting coordination.

    Parenting coordination is a specialised role, so it’s worth choosing someone with the right background. Look for a coordinator who is professionally qualified with specific training in mediation and parenting coordination. One of the most recognised organisations is Parenting Coordination Australia. Their website has a list of qualified Parenting Coordinators. The best coordinators pair that expertise with genuine warmth, so you feel supported as well as guided. 

    Move Forward With Clarity and Child Focus

    The everyday disagreements don’t have to keep pulling you back. With the right support, you and your co-parent can settle them calmly, protect your children from the conflict, and get on with the lives you’re building.

    Book a 15-minute consultation at no charge to see if parenting coordination is right for you. You can also call Kannen Mediation on 0455 238 884 or email [email protected]