Making a Parenting Plan

A Parenting Plan (sometimes referred to as a Parenting Agreement) is a written agreement that both parents sign up to as a way of establishing the ground rules around the way that they will parent apart.

It can cover anything you both feel is important, most parents include things such parenting time arrangements, financial provision for the children, holidays, children's education and health needs, rules around new partners or anything else that you feel would benefit from a written agreement.

Parenting Plans work best when they are not too prescriptive, are flexible and are regularly updated to take account of children’s changing needs over time. Try to see it as a working document to help you manage your parenting relationship rather than a legal contract that should be monitored in minute detail.

You can download a model Parenting Plan form below to use it as a guide. Don't forget, you can include any issues that you think are important and can reach agreement about.

We also recommend that you use our negotiations tool to help you reach agreements.