In California, parents who cannot come to an agreement regarding custody and parenting plans will need to attend mandated mediation. Also known as child custody recommending counseling, this process has multiples goals focused on the wellbeing of the entire family.
How mandated child custody mediation works
When child custody mediation is mandated by the court, the parents will meet with a neutral third party known as a child custody recommending counselor who is an expert at helping parents resolve the issues related to child custody and work together to design a parenting plan that meets the needs of the child. Once the parents resolve their issues and come up with a parenting plan, the mediator helps them write a document with all the details that will become the child custody and parenting order once it is signed by the judge. If the parents cannot come to an agreement during mediation, the mediator will then write up their own recommendations and provide them to both the court and the parents.
The main goals of child custody mediation
Child custody mediation has three main goals all benefitting the well-being of the family as they move forward with their life. The goals include:
- Helping parents learn to work together even while dealing with negative emotions such as anger and resentment
- Helping parents create a parenting plan focused on the best interest of their child
- Helping parents create a parenting plan that allows the child to spend time and continue developing their relationship with both parents
The best interest of the child
In the midst of a custody dispute, parents might lose focus of their priority, which should be in the best interest of the child. With mandated mediation, the hope is that parents are able to move past this and focus on how they can best help their child grow healthy and emotionally well-adjusted.