Parenting Coordination Operating Procedures Continuing Parenting Coordination Education
Adopted by the Committee on ADR Rules and Policy Pursuant to Rule 15.400, Rules for Qualified and Court-Appointed Parenting Coordinators
The purpose of continuing parenting coordination education is to enhance the professional’s competence as a qualified parenting coordinator. The requirement of continuing parenting coordination education and the reporting thereof applies to all qualified parenting coordinators seeking continuing qualification to remain on the judicial circuit’s roster of qualified parenting coordinators.
To qualify as continuing parenting coordination education, a course or activity must have significant, current intellectual or practical content and must constitute an organized program of learning directly related to the practice of parenting coordination. Continuing parenting coordination education may only be conducted by an individual or group qualified by practical or academic experience. All continuing parenting coordination education credit will be based on a 50-minute hour.
Continuing parenting coordination education must be completed as follows:
- Generally
All qualified parenting coordinators must complete a minimum of 16 hours of continuing parenting coordination education every two years including:
- Four hours of ethics, which may be either mediator or parenting coordination ethics, including a minimum of two hours of ethics specific to parenting coordination; and
- Four hours of interpersonal violence including a minimum of two hours specific to parenting coordination with a focus on domestic violence and child abuse, child neglect, or abandonment; and
- Two hours of mental health and family dynamics education; and
- Two hours of Florida family law and rules of procedure education; and
- One hour of cultural diversity education.
If a parenting coordinator is eligible for renewal with less than two years of qualification, the 16 hours of required continuing parenting coordination education may be calculated on a pro rata basis. Parenting coordinators with:
- Four to six months of qualification will be required to complete four hours of continuing parenting coordination education including one hour of interpersonal violence and one hour of either parenting coordination or mediator ethics;
- Seven to 12 months of qualification will be required to complete eight hours of continuing parenting coordination education including two hours of ethics specific to parenting coordination; two hours of interpersonal violence specific to parenting coordination with a focus on domestic violence and child abuse, child neglect or abandonment; one hour of mental health and family dynamics; and one hour of Florida family law and rules of procedure;
- Thirteen to 18 months of qualification will be required to complete 12 hours of continuing parenting coordination education including two hours of ethics specific to parenting coordination4 and one additional hour of either parenting coordination or mediator ethics; two hours of interpersonal violence education specific to parenting coordination with a focus on domestic violence and child abuse, child neglect or abandonment and one hour of interpersonal violence education on any topic; one hour of mental health and family dynamics; and one hour of Florida family law and rules of procedure; and
- Nineteen to 24 months of qualification will be required to complete 16 hours of continuing parenting coordination education, as set forth above.
- Educational Formats
Continuing parenting coordination education may be completed by any of the following educational formats:
- Attendance at a live lecture or seminar; or
- Attendance at an interactive web-based presentation that includes audience participation in real-time;
- Attendance at a web-based seminar without realtime audience participation; or
- Participation as a lecturer, presenter, or panel member in a continuing parenting coordination education program; or
- Attendance at meetings of alternative dispute resolution related committees or boards appointed by the Florida Supreme Court, during the portion of the meetings spent on parenting coordination topics; or
- Authoring or editing written materials submitted for publication that have significant intellectual or practical content directly related to the practice of parenting coordination; or
- Successfully completing a self-directed program that is qualified for continuing education credit by a governmental licensing board.
- Application of Hours
- Attending and lecturing or teaching at the same continuing parenting coordination education presentation within a two-year renewal period will not entitle a parenting coordinator to additional credit hours. This prohibition against repeat attendance and lecturing does not apply to annual conferences and yearly updates;
- Continuing education completed for another profession's continuing education requirement may be used as continuing parenting coordination education if the material bears directly on the parenting coordinator’s practice and complies with the continuing parenting coordination education guidelines set forth in these operating procedures;
- Hours that are applicable to more than one subject matter are eligible to be counted in more than one category of continuing parenting coordination education;
- Any continuing parenting coordination education hours completed may be utilized for only one renewal cycle. Hours in excess of the minimum requirement may not be carried forward to the next renewal cycle; and
- Parenting coordinators must maintain proof of attendance at continuing parenting coordination education programs and are responsible for maintaining all records relating to continuing parenting coordination education, which records shall be subject to audit.
Forms and Applications
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Parenting Coordination Application Form |
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Parenting Coordination Renewal Form |
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Parenting Coordination Education Reporting Form |