What is a Parenting Plan, and How Can One Help Me?

By Karen Pritchard

Principal Associate

Parenting plans are used by parents to set out their agreement in relation to their co-parenting. Parenting plans help parents to focus on the needs of their child, and to set out a clear agreement which they can refer back to if required. It is entirely voluntary.

Parenting plans can include, for example:

  • Which parent the child should live with;
  • The time that they should spend with the parent that they do not live with;
  • The circumstances in which one parent should seek the consent of the other when making a decision about that child;
  • The religion in which a child is to be raised and any issues surrounding the involvement in that religion e.g which place of worship the child will attend;
  • The education that a child is to receive and any practical issues surrounding their education e.g that the parents will endeavour to attend parents’ evenings and school events together;
  • The routines in their respective households
  • Tow and when any new partners should be introduced

Parenting plans are not legally binding, but they would be good evidence of the parents’ intentions should the court ever be asked to determine an issue.

For more information or to find out how we can help you, please contact our Family Team on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of our Team will be in touch.