Resources
Resources for Parents
Our Children First
Online access to the LA County Court’s mediation orientation/parent education program, Our Children First.
Families Change
This site (designed for people living in Canada) has several universal guides for parents, teens, and kids about handling separation and divorce.
Split
A film telling the kids’ side of divorce and sharing their feelings.
Parenting Plan Template
A template to assist parents and their professional advisors in developing child-focused parenting plans.
Time Guide
A guide to children’s developmental milestones and visitation suggestions for each age and stage of development.
Robin Sax's Website
Visit the page for the main law practice of Robin Sax, founder of Dear Co-Parent.
Parent Communication Resources
CoParenter
An app that helps parents communicate effectively and make decisions that put the wellbeing of their children first.
Our Family Wizard
Online tools to help your family manage shared parenting. (Please note: This is a paid service.)
Talking Parents
Helps co-parents communicate effectively. Avoid child custody disputes and minimize tension by having a record of past conversations that can’t be edited after the fact.
Resources for Professionals
AFCC: Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
An international and interdisciplinary association dedicated to the constructive resolution of family disputes.
AFCC’s Family Resources and Parenting Coordination
UpToParents
Resources about co-parenting and tools to set up co-parenting plans.
IACP: International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
Site of the umbrella organization for Collaborative Practice (Collaborative Law, Collaborative Divorce) and information for subscriptions to the Collaborative Review.
CPCAL: Collaborative Practice California
Site of the umbrella organization for Collaborative Practice in California.
The Collaborative Divorce
The mission of the Collaborative Divorce is to offer an effective, coordinated, and affordable approach to divorce settlement through the team approach: the collaborative lawyer, divorce counselor, child counselor, and financial counselor.
Mediate.com
Conflict resolution resources, an index of professionals, and information about mediation.
Legal/Advocacy Services
Alliance for Children’s Rights
The Alliance fights to provide stability for children in foster care and those at risk of entering foster care by helping them obtain access to mental and medical healthcare, educational services, benefits, housing, and more.
Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
The Center protects victims of domestic violence and works to improve the well-being of children living in poverty. With the help of volunteers, the Center provides free family law assistance and legal education to the poor.
Levitt Quinn Non-Profit Family Law Center
Levitt & Quinn provides affordable legal help to families who are unable to get assistance from traditional legal services providers, or to afford private attorney services.
Resources for Free or Low-Cost Therapy
Violence Intervention Program
Provides assistance and resources to those who have suffered abuse or trauma.
Vista del Mar
Provides comprehensive, family-centered social, educational, and behavioral health services that encourage children and families to lead self-reliant, stable, and productive lives.
Child Support Calculator
DissoMaster
The most-widely-used child and temporary spousal support calculator in California that is certified by the Judicial Council.
The presumptively correct amounts of child and temporary spousal support are based on algebraic formulas, so family law judges, attorneys and parties rely on this computer software to run the support calculations. The software is also available at most courthouse self-help centers.
California-Focused Resources:
LA County Superior Court Family Law Forms
A direct link to the LA County Superior Court Family law page where all the forms you might need that are related to family are found. (If you need help navigating this, please contact Dear Co-Parent.)
LA County Department of Mental Health
Mental health services include assessments, case management, crisis intervention, medication support, peer support and other rehabilitative services.
Los Angeles Superior Court Office of the Family Law Facilitator
The Office of the Family Law Facilitator assists parties with child support, spousal support and health insurance issues. Staff attorneys and paralegals conduct workshops and meet with parties individually to attempt to resolve their support issues. The staff does not give legal advice nor does it represent a particular party in an action. There is no confidentiality not attorney-client relationship created or intended between the office and a party.
Phone numbers:
Tel: 213-974-5004 (Central District Stanley Mosk Courthouse)
Tel: 213-351-8113 (Central Civil West)
Tel: 310-603-3218 (Compton)
Tel: 562-491-6432 (Long Beach)
Tel: 310-222-1714 (Torrance)
Tel: 562-807-7504 (Norwalk)
Tel: 626-356-5030 (Pasadena)
Tel: 818-374-7108 (Van Nuys)
Tel: 818-898-2606 (San Fernando)
Tel: 818-557-3583 (Burbank)
Video Resources
Dear Co-Parent has made a series of videos that outline some of the important aspects of co-parenting and her approach to mediating issues.
Books & Publications
Sax, Robin. Predators and Child Molesters: What Every Parent Needs to Know to Keep Kids Safe. 2009
Ahrons, Constance. The Good Divorce: Keeping Your Family Together When Your Marriage Comes Apart. 1995
Sax, Robin. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Criminal Justice System. 2009
Ahrons, Constance & Rodgers, Roy. Divorced Families: Meeting the Challenge of Divorce and Remarriage. 1989
Banschick, Mark. The Intelligent Divorce: Because Your Kids Come First. 2010
Bienenfeld, Florence. Helping Your Child Through Divorce. 1995
Barr, Debbie. Caught in the Crossfire: Children of Divorce. 1986
Blau, Melinda. Families Apart: Ten Keys to Successful Co-Parenting. 1995
Berger, Stuart. Divorce Without Victims. 1986
Burrett, Jill & Green, Michael. Shared Parenting: Raising Your Child Cooperatively After Separation. 2009
Beyer, Roberta. Speaking of Divorce: How to Talk with Your Kids and Help Them Cope. 2001
Clapp, Genevieve. Divorce and New Beginnings: A Complete Guide to Recovery, Solo Parenting, Co-Parenting, and Stepfamilies. 2000
Cohen, Miriam . Long Distance Parenting: A Guide for Divorced Parents. 1991
Emery, Robert. The Truth About Children and Divorce: Dealing With The Emotions So You and Your Children Can Thrive. 2004
Cohen, Miriam. The Joint Custody Handbook. 1991
Everett, Craig & Sandra. Healthy Divorce: For Parents and Children: An Original, Clinically Proven Program for Working Through the 14 Stages of Separation, Divorce, and Remarriage. 1998
Deutsch, Francine. Halving It All: How Equally Shared Parenting Works. 2000
Favaro, Peter. Smart Parenting During and After Divorce: The Essential Guide to Making Divorce Easier on Your Child. 2008
Diamond, Susan A. Helping Children of Divorce: A Handbook for Parents and Teachers. 1986
Gardner, Richard A. The Parents’ Book About Divorce. 1991
(Gardner is a child psychiatrist.)
Hansen, Deb. Broken Strings: Wisdom for Divorced and Separated Families. 2007
(Hansen is a writer and parenting educator.)
Knox, David & Leggett, Kermit. The Divorced Dad’s Survival Book: How to Stay Connected with Your Kids. 2000
Johnson, Colleen. Ex- Familia : Grandparents , Parents and Children Adjust to Divorce. 1988
Lansky, Vicki. Divorce Book for Parents: Helping Your Children Cope With Divorce and Its Aftermath. 1996
Jones- Soderman, Jill, Quattrocchi, Allison, & Steinberg, Sheila. How To Talk To Your Children About Divorce. 2006
Lapin, Renae. School Days and The Divorce Maze: A Complete Guide for Joint Custody Parents in Managing Your Child’s Successful School Career. 2008
Neuman, M. Gary. Helping Your Kids Cope With Divorce The Sandcastles Way. 1998
Neuman, a couselor and rabbi, is the creator of Sandcastles TM – a 3.5 hour program, available in Miami and other cities, that encourages children to speak, draw, write and otherwise express their feelings about divorce. This book is for parents who don’t have access to the program.
Long, Nicholas & Forehand, Rex. Making Divorce Easier On Your Child: 50 Effective Ways To Help Children Adjust. 2002
Nightingale, Lois. Building Resiliency: helping your child build inner-strength through the adversity of divorce. 2018
Lowenstein, Liana. Creative Interventions For Children Of Divorce. 2006
Ricci, Isolina. Mom’s House, Dad’s House: Making Two Homes for Your Child. 1997.
Marquardt, Elizabeth. Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce. 2006
Ross, Julie & Corcoran, Judy. Joint Custody With A Jerk: Raising A Child With An Uncooperative Ex. 1996
Newman, George. 101 Ways To Be A Long Distance Super- Dad or Mom, Too. 2006
Schneider, Meg & Zuckerberg, Joan. Difficult Questions Kids Ask and Are Afraid to Ask About Divorce. 1996
Schab, Lisa. The Divorce Workbook For Children: Help For Kids To Overcome Difficult Family Changes And Grow Up Happy. 2008
Activities to teach kids to stay out of the middle, communicate their needs, and cope with stress and change.
Sommers-Flanagan, Elander, & Sommers-Flanagan. Don’t Divorce Us!: Kids Advice To Divorcing Parents. 2000
Thomas, Shirley. Parents Are Forever: A Step-by-step Guide to Becoming Successful Co-parents After Divorce. 2004
Stewart, Copeland, Chester, Malley, & Barenbaum. Separating Together: How Divorce Transforms Families. 1997
Turner, Kristine. New Beginnings for Divorcing Parents – Co-Parenting Divorce Workbook. 2010
Teyber, Edward. Helping Children Cope With Divorce. 2001
Vachon, Marc & Amy. Equally Shared Parenting: Rewriting the Rules for a New Generation of Parents. 2010
Thayer, Elizabeth & Zimmerman, Jeffrey. The Co-Parenting Survival Guide: Letting Go of Conflict After A Difficult Divorce. 2001
Virtue, Doreen. My Kids Don’t Live With Me Anymore: Coping With The Custody Crisis. 1988
Turner, Kristine. Mommy and Daddy Are Getting Divorced: Helping Children Cope With Divorce. 2010
A read-along-with-your-children book.
Wallerstein, Judith & Kelly, Joan. Surviving the Breakup: How Children and Parents Cope with Divorce. 1996
Walther, Anne. Divorce Hangover: A Successful Strategy to End the Emotional Aftermath of Divorce. 2000
Wallerstein, Judith & Blakeslee, Sandra. Second Chances: Men, Women & Children A Decade After Divorce: Who Wins, Who Loses – And Why. 2004
Walther, Anne. Not Damaged Goods: A Successful Strategy for Children of Divorce From Infancy to Adulthood. 2001
Wallerstein, Judith, Lewis, Julia & Blakeslee, Sandra. The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: A 25 Year Landmark Study. 2001
Wassil-Grimm, Claudette. Where’s Daddy? How Divorced, Single and Widowed Mothers Can Provide What’s Missing When Dad’s Missing. 1994
Wallerstein, Judith. What About The Kids? Raising Your Children Before, During, and After Divorce. 2004
Wolf, Anthony. Why Did You Have To Get A Divorce? And When Can I Get A Hamster? A Guide To Parenting Through Divorce. 1998
Warshak, Richard. Divorce Poison: How to Protect Your Family from Bad-mouthing and Brainwashing. 2010
Dr. Warshak has also created a DVD designed to help children and teens see family issues from another perspective and so avoid parental alienation and taking sides. The DVD is available here.