The role of a Parenting Consultant is not one that is defined by a statute or by the Courts. Rather, Parenting Consulting is a concept developed by several Minnesota psychologists who have worked extensively in the Minnesota family dispute arena. A Parenting Consultant assists with numerous types of issues involving children, including Parenting Time (often referred to as Visitation), schedules, discipline and parenting style, participation in extra-curricular activities and financial considerations.

Parenting Consulting utilizes a contract-based agreement that allows the parties to a divorce or custody dispute to first mediate a dispute; if Mediation should fail, then the Parenting Consultant decides the issue or issues in dispute, and the parties agree to accept the parenting consultant’s decision. If one of the parents disagrees with the consultant’s decision, he or she still has the right to go to court to try to have the decision changed.

When you are dealing with issues that involve the best interests of children, divorce is usually even more difficult and emotional for everyone involved. This can be particularly true for children who are caught in the middle. Sometimes the involvement with the legal system exacerbates the effects of divorce on children. The goal of Parenting Consulting is to support individuals and families going through divorce in a manner that productively resolves issues and provides the means to move forward.