When parents break up or divorce, they may not love each other anymore, but they love their child and want what is best for them.
Parents in California who are no longer together need to agree on child custody arrangements and develop a parenting plan.
One way to do so is through child custody mediation. In fact, all counties in California offer child custody mediation services to parents who want to work together cooperatively to develop a parenting plan.
Child custody mediation
Child custody mediation will focus on the best interests of the child. After all, children generally benefit from spending time with both parents. Parents can use mediation to ensure that they both get to have healthy and ongoing contact with their child.
The mediator is an impartial third party. They do not take sides. They are mental health professionals trained in facilitating productive conversations between two parents.
Child custody mediation tries to develop a shared parenting plan for the child’s best interests. Hopefullly, both parents will be satisfied with the parenting plan in the end. Both parents may need to make some concessions for the sake of the child.
Once you reach a child custody settlement, it will be reviewed by the court. If it is approved, it becomes a legally binding order that you and your child’s other parent must follow.
A non-adversarial approach
Child custody mediation benefits many families because it is a non-adversarial approach to resolving what can sometimes be an emotional issue. Parents work with one another, not against one another. This lays the groundwork for positive communication and cooperation as they move into the future as co-parents of the child whom they both love.