Let’s talk legal... Do Parenting Plans Work for Divorced Parents?

By Evolve Family Law

Parenting after separation is rarely simple. Even where parents respect one another’s parenting abilities, the difficulties of navigating new parenting routines, emotions, and expectations can feel overwhelming.

The parenting plan

A parenting plan is a structured agreement outlining how separated parents will raise their children. It isn’t just a parenting schedule. A plan can outline how parenting in two households will work so your children benefit from consistent parenting with less risk of parental disputes because of your negotiated plan.

Every plan is different. Some separated parents want to record broad parenting principles, while others want a comprehensive document. Family lawyers draw up a range of plans. Some are limited to the agreed rules for parental overseas travel with the children, and others cover most aspects of a child’s life, from daily routines to homework and hobbies.

Do parenting plans work?

Our family solicitors are big believers in the benefits of parenting plans if the plan is:

• Realistic

• Has buy-in from both parents and older children

• Flexible and adaptable

Parenting plan benefits

A parenting plan is a framework for communication, decision making, and shared responsibility.

The process of creating the plan can encourage separated parents to reflect on what they and their children want and need. Writing what’s been agreed upon:

• Reduces misunderstandings and misinterpretations

• Avoids the need for frequent negotiation

• Gives parents and older children a sense of security

It’s comforting for children to know the parenting times and household rules. For a parent, it can be reassuring to know that the plan covers topics such as who can attend parents’ evenings, school holiday cover for working parents, or the tricky topic of agreed rules for introducing children to future partners if one parent starts a new relationship.

Writing your parenting plan

It’s never too late to write a parenting plan. You may have separated years ago and muddled through doing the best you could. The long summer holidays and limited annual leave may have made you think that there must be a better way to organise co-parenting. A new blended family, children reaching their teen years, or battles with your tween over access to social media may be your catalyst for change. Whatever the reason, a parenting plan can help you navigate the muddle of separated parenting and bring some calm and consistency.

Who needs a parenting plan?

Parents need a plan even if they are committed to amicable parenting or if one parent has a history of agreeing to things but not sticking to them.

A plan can either help ground committed parents when a tricky parenting issue crops up or can be used as evidence of how you agreed to parent your children, but your ex failed to follow through with the plan, and that’s why you need a child arrangement order.

Help with your parenting plan

Family lawyers can help you work out what you want in your parenting plan. Years of experience helping couples separate amicably and parent together but apart enable Evolve Family Law to offer valuable insights and negotiate solutions in high-conflict disputes where an application for a child arrangement order initially seemed inevitable.