Cooperative Parenting Workshop

Children need structure; they don’t need to feel guilt or blame for things that they cannot control; above all, children deserve happy and engaged parents every day. It is in the best interest of children, regardless of the status of their parents’ relationship, to have parents who can at least agree to raise their children in a cooperative manner.

The goals of the Cooperative Parenting workshop are to demonstrate to parents going through divorce, separation and custody issues how to prevent and/or manage conflict and how to communicate positively with the other parent. Facilitators will educate on the dynamics of parenting; provide information that helps parents understand the effects of separation/divorce on children; raise awareness of children’s developmental stages aimed at on-going, meaningful relationships between children and both parents following family break-up; and, promote positive parenting practices aimed at helping children’s healthy adjustment.

Participants of the Cooperative Parenting Workshop will receive information on many topics, including:

• Home Responsibilities for Children
• Economic issues (e.g., savings accounts)
• Discipline
• Removing children from parental conflict
• The Court’s role
• Parents retaining control of the mediation process

Through scenarios which involve role-play, participants will observe different communication styles. Active participation between the facilitators and the participants is invited and encouraged.

A Certificate of Completion will be filed in the court’s file for those parents who have completed the workshop, and will be accepted by the judicial officer hearing their case.

Cooperative Parenting Workshop

If you have a custody/visitation issue, but have not yet been to Court, you may wish to schedule your own mediation with one of the Court’s trained professional custody mediators.  The goal of our mediators is to facilitate a custody/visitation arrangement between the parents that is in the best interest of the minor child(ren). A mediation appointment can be made by calling 209-533-6565.  The mediators will not make an appointment for just one party, both parties must participate. If your case involves allegations of domestic violence, please advise the clerk’s office when making the appointment and one of the parties will be instructed to appear via telephone.  All mediations take place on the first floor here in the Courthouse.

If you have a custody/visitation issue already before the Court, you will have your mediation session scheduled beforehand.  Pursuant to Family Code §3170(a), every case involving contested custody, visitation or parenting time issues must be set for mediation within 60 days after the filing of the petition, and before the Court can make a decision on the merits.  See also Family Code §§ 3173, 3175.  Parties who are ordered by the Court to attend child custody mediation must complete an orientation before their scheduled mediation session.  See Family Code §3170(b) and CRC 5.210.  You may complete the orientation in one of two ways:

• You may call the Court and sign-up to attend the in-person orientation.  The orientation is offered on the first Wednesday of each month, from 1pm – 4pm, in the Jury Assembly Room on the first floor of the Courthouse;

or

• You may complete the orientation online at https://pas.familieschange.ca.gov/.  You must register in order to complete the course.  After completing the course, you will need to file your Certificate of Attendance with the Court prior to your scheduled mediation session.

The Court will set a review hearing to occur after your mediation session to determine whether additional issues remain for resolution.

Note:

*Court personnel will schedule parents for particular workshop sessions.

Childcare Is Not Provided, Please Do Not Bring Children.