Implementation of a Parenting Coordination Pilot Project in Montreal, Canada: What Did We Learn?

For parents who experience high conflict following their separation or divorce, the various psychosocial and legal services provided by the government of Quebec or in the private sector have proven to be inadequate, resulting in an over-dependence on the court system and child protective services to provide solutions. In response to this social dilemma, the Quebec Ministry of Justice agreed in 2012 to fund a pilot project to determine if parenting coordination could provide some relief to the families and to the judicial system. A research team also had the mandate to evaluate the extent to which parenting coordination could eventually be integrated with other services being offered in both the public and private sectors. Between 2012 and 2014, ten families were followed by two parenting coordinators for a period ranging from six to 18 months. This article will present the interdisciplinary model put forward in the implementation of a parental coordination project, some highlights of the results of this pilot project and the recommendations that ensued.