The Divorce Act requires parenting plans to be in the best interests of the children. Many factors can matter, and a plan needs to be individualized to the needs of specific children and parents.
Building a plan can be complex. Questions come up that depend on the age, needs, and circumstances of the parents and the children. A good plan is detailed about schedules and time sharing, including how children transition between homes. It covers decision making, and how the plan can be reviewed and changed as children grow and their needs change.
What gets written down
- Parenting time and how the schedule actually works.
- How children move from one home to the other.
- Who makes which decisions, and how those decisions are made together.
- How the plan will be reviewed as children get older.
Each plan is tailored. If a child has medical or learning needs, those needs shape the options. Special consideration is also given where parents never lived together, where a parent is incarcerated, or where there is partner abuse, family violence, substance abuse, or mental illness.
If conflict about particular issues is likely, the plan needs to be very detailed. Specific language now can reduce conflict later.