School Summer Holiday Survival

04-Jul-2011 Coping with the school summer holidays can be a big adjustment if you’re recently divorced / separated. Trying to work around everyone’s schedule and ensure each parent gets their allotted time with the children can be challenging and stressful. Whilst planning a separate summer holiday from your former partner / spouse can be difficult, these tips can help to make it a little easier and may avoid conflict:-

1. The sooner the better: The sooner you make your summer holiday plans and discuss them with your former partner / spouse, the less likely any arguments or conflicting plans arise.
2. Ask your children: Talk to your children about the summer holidays and ensure that you make time to do things they want to do. Don’t make any commitments with the children without discussing things with your former partner / spouse.
3. Take into consideration special events: Try not to plan a summer holiday during your former partner / spouse’s birthday or any other special events that take place during the summer.
4. Comply with any existing court orders: Ensure that holiday plans are arranged in compliance with any existing court orders. Be aware that the law states that a child cannot be taken abroad without the permission of both parents except in very limited circumstances. So, if a child is taken abroad without the permission of the other parent, even with the best of intentions that would amount to child abduction. If you are required to obtain permission from your former partner / spouse in order to take your child out of the country, such permission should be recorded in writing between you both and should set out the arrangements for travel, the destination address and telephone contact details.

For further advice on this or any other family law issues contact Lisa Kemp

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