Meeting with parents
Developing an effective parenting plan is like a fitting a child for a pair of shoes. Important considerations are support, comfort, function and durability—–and the knowledge that the same pair of shoes is not likely to continue to fit as the child grows. Parents are helped to anticipate that parenting plans will naturally need to evolve and change over time.

During the first meeting, information about the role and function of the neutral Child Specialist is shared, and a working relationship is established with both parents. Developmental histories of each child in the family are obtained, and determination made whether information from outside sources (e.g. schools, child care providers) would assist in understanding the child. If not already done by the other professionals, releases of information are signed to share information with the coach, parenting consultant, mediator or attorneys with whom the parents are working.