Institute for Advanced Professional Learning

Kids First was established with the goal of uniting professionals from various fields—especially legal and mental health—to collaborate towards a shared objective: enhancing the lives of children by reducing their exposure to conflict during their parents' divorce and separation. 

The Kids First Center is excited to introduce the Kids First Institute for Professional Learning. Throughout the year, the Institute will explore important topics for professionals supporting families with children raised by separated parents. This initiative includes four 2-hour webinars and a culminating in-person conference in Fall 2025, gathering experts to enhance co-parenting practices across various disciplines.

  2024-2025 Institute: Reimagining Parallel Parenting

The theme for the 2024/2025 Institute is "Reimagining Parallel Parenting." Many professionals are concerned that "Parallel Parenting" contradicts shared parenting principles by limiting parental interaction, leading them to question its benefits for children and its alignment with public policies supporting shared parenting. They wonder if it represents a regression from the legal ideal of shared parenting. However, in certain situations—such as high-conflict cases or those involving abuse—a parallel parenting plan that allocates parental rights may be the most effective approach. In Maine, there is currently no shared definition or standardized framework for "parallel parenting," often resulting in ad hoc solutions by professionals and judicial officers. 

The theme of parallel parenting encourages us to consider whether emphasizing the "best interest of the family" could lead to more favorable outcomes for children experiencing divorce and separation compared to focusing exclusively on the "best interest of the child." Parenting plans are crafted to balance the interests—and, more broadly, the constitutional rights—of parents, aiming to provide structure and stability to family systems. These plans blend legal and emotional health principles to advance the state’s goal of protecting children from conflict and fostering a more harmonious community for everyone.    

We will evaluate the "one-size-fits-all" approach to determine whether it systematically overlooks some children, preventing them from having the best possible environment to thrive. Reevaluating parallel parenting might offer a new path to prioritizing children's needs and keeping kids first. 

  Moderators

     Karen MacDonald, LCSW

Karen MacDonald is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist based in Gorham, Maine. She is dedicated to creating a non-judgmental space for individuals to heal and grow. Her strengths-based practice employs various evidence-based modalities to empower clients, emphasizing that they are the experts of their own lives. 

Karen specializes in two areas: working with adolescents facing co-occurring disorders and co-parenting coaching. She has experience in residential settings with teens and young adults who have experienced trauma, using motivational interviewing and authenticity to build therapeutic relationships. Additionally, as a trained mediator, she employs a directive approach in co-parenting coaching, focusing on communication and conflict resolution to help divorced or separated parents establish respectful new relationships.

Karen earned her MSW from the University of Southern Maine School of Social Work.

Karen facilitates the First Step: Foundations in Co-Parenting, the Next Step, ICOPE, and Kids First for Kids! at the Kids First Center. 

More about Ms. MacDonald is found at Psychology Today. 

   Christopher Leddy, Esq.

Christopher Leddy is an attorney with Ainsworth, Thelin & Raftice in South Portland, Maine.  Having started his Family Law and Criminal Defense practice with ATR in 2010, Chris is a regular speaker at Family Law and Guardian seminars throughout Maine and teaches classes at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to police cadets.  The early years of his legal career were spent in service to the State of Maine as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County, and with the Attorney General’s office in the Child Protective Division.  He became a rostered Guardian Ad Litem in 2004 and was appointed to the initial Guardian Ad Litem Review board by the Law Court in 2015.  

Attorney Leddy earned his JD from the University of Maine School of Law in 1996 and appears in Maine courts from Bangor to York.    

More about Attorney Leddy at the  Ainsworth Thelin & Raftice website.

 Webinar 1: Thursday, October 31, 2024 • 2:00 pm to 4:10 pm

Insights from Research: A Review of Academic Literature and Case Law

Participants will be introduced to parallel parenting and its relevance in today's legal context, along with an overview of the research that supports co-parenting education and parallel parenting techniques. Additionally, participants will learn how to leverage current research findings and legal frameworks in their daily interactions with parents involved in high-conflict divorce or custody disputes.  The first hour of this webinar will provide an introduction to the latest research on coparenting education, emphasizing the connection between parallel parenting and contemporary psychological research, as well as child custody laws. Attendees will examine the "best interest of the child" standard for parenting decisions in Maine and consider how parallel parenting fits within this framework.  The second hour will feature a guided discussion between panelists and participants, focusing on how to apply the concepts discussed in the first hour to their work in family court settings characterized by varying levels of conflict. 

 $50.00, 2.0 hours CLE; 2.0 hours CPE

  Presenters

  Luke T. Russell, Ph.D

Luke Russell is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Illinois State University. With a strong commitment to understanding the intricacies of human relationships and family dynamics, Dr. Russell’s research focuses on the developmental processes that influence individual and family well-being. He has a particular interest in the intersection of family functioning and societal factors, addressing issues such as parental involvement, child development, and the impact of cultural contexts on family life. 

Dr. Russell earned an MS in Family Science and his  Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science from University of Missouri, where he developed his foundational knowledge in family systems theory and applied research methods. His academic journey has been marked by numerous contributions to peer-reviewed journals, where he explores innovative strategies for enhancing family relationships and supporting individuals in various life stages. 

More about Dr. Russell at his Illinois State University profile page. 

   Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, PhD

Jonathon J. Beckmeyer, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Illinois State University. His research focuses on the intersections between relationship development, family systems, and well-being during adolescence and emerging adulthood. In particular, Dr. Beckmeyer has ongoing research projects focused on what works for families that experienced parental divorce. He is a member of the Divorce Education Assessment Collaborative, developing systematic tools and processes to evaluate the effectiveness of divorce education programs. Dr. Beckmeyer is an Assistant Editor of the journal Emerging Adulthood and serves on the editorial boards of Family Relations and Family Transitions. 

More about Dr. Beckmeyer at his Illinois State University profile page.

   Nick J. Galanin, Esq.

Nick J. Galanin is the founding attorney at Galanin Family Law, LLC, located in Gorham, Maine. His diverse background includes experiences ranging from running a theatre camp to working in the credit industry, complemented by extensive foreign language studies. This unique combination has shaped his community-focused approach to family law. Before establishing his own firm, Nick worked as an associate attorney at MillerAsen, P.A., where he represented clients in matters such as divorces, separations, parental rights, protection orders, and modifications of existing court orders. 

 Nick graduated from Colgate University and earned his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. He also holds a Certificate in Mediation from the University of Southern Maine. During his law school tenure, he volunteered as a translator and interpreter for the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic. Additionally, he served as a trial assistant at a criminal defense firm in Portland, where he coordinated closely with clients, courts, mental health professionals, and substance use recovery programs. 

 Currently, Nick offers Guardian ad Litem and Co-Parenting Mediation services. He is a facilitator of the First Step: Foundations in Co-Parenting program at the Kids First Center. 

More about Attorney Galanin at the Galanin Family Law website. 

  Webinar 2: Thursday, January 30, 2025 • 2:00 pm to 4:10 pm

High Conflict and Domestic Abuse: The Case for Parallel Parenting Plans

Check back for more information about the second of four in the KFI webinar series. 

  Sponsor

The Kids First Institute is underwritten in part by the generous support of: