Parenting Plans
Expert legal advice on Parenting Plans from Brisbane family lawyers
Key Points
- Parenting Plans are not binding/enforceable.
- Parenting Plans are a record of the agreed arrangements for parenting arrangements for the children.
- The Court will look at your Parenting Plan if you end up in Court.
- Parenting Plans can be regularly reviewed/changed/updated.
- a Parenting Plan will override a previous parenting Order, unless the Order specifies otherwise.
A Parenting Plan is any written, signed and dated agreement made between parents. A Parenting Plan can contain the following:
- who the children will live with;
- the time the children will spend with each parent;
- parental responsibility;
- communication issues;
- medical and educational issues;
- processes to resolve disputes about the children;
- any other aspect dealing with the care, welfare and development of the child.
FAQs
There are two options to record your parenting agreement:
- Parenting Plans; or
- Consent Orders.
Parenting Plans are helpful in the following circumstances:
- where the children are very young and their needs will change;
- where there are certain circumstances unknown (e.g. where one parent will live);
- where parents want a flexible arrangement and/or an arrangement that is periodically reviewed;
- where there is a pre-existing co-parenting relationship and a high degree of trust and cooperation.
