Parents who are no longer in a relationship with each other, whether they recently divorced or were never married, still want to see that their break-up does not harm their children too much. While there may be some animosity between the child's parents, sometimes, for the sake of the child, they want to avoid fighting for child custody in court. One alternative in California for parents in this situation is child custody mediation.
Child custody mediation allows parents to resolve their child custody issues and create a parenting plan out-of-court. Through mediation, a mediator, who is a neutral third party, helps parents achieve their child custody goals. A mediator can assist parents in creating a written parenting plan. This can then be presented to a judge, who can make it a legally enforceable child custody and visitation order.
Sometimes, child custody mediation is also referred to as "child custody recommending counseling." The mediator in such situations may have the ability to provide the child's parents and the court with a written recommendation, if the parents find that after going through child custody mediation they still have not been able to create a parenting plan.
In general, child custody mediation in California has three goals. One goal is to assist parents in creating a parenting plan that meets the child's best interests. Another goal is to assist parents in creating a parenting plan that allows the child to have meaningful time with each of his or her parents. Finally, child custody mediation can help parents learn how to handle feelings of resentment or anger, which may come up during the mediation process or even after a parenting plan has been implemented.
Child custody mediation may not be for everyone, but it is one option for California parents to consider. Keep in mind that even if one chooses mediation, they can still be represented by an attorney who can provide the legal advice and help achieve.
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