We recommend that you seek legal advice about how the Family Law Act operates before attending at the family relationship centres so that you are fully aware of the various options available to you for the future parenting of your children.
What are parenting plans?
A parenting plan is a written agreement between parents, which must be dated and signed by both parents, that sets out what parenting arrangements will apply in the future for your children. It is not enforceable in a Court, but if Court proceedings are instituted in the future, the Court is bound to consider the terms of any prior parenting plan, in determining what parenting arrangements are in the best interests of your children.
When should parenting plans be used?
When parents are able to communicate and have an amicable post-separation relationship, there should be no need to have formal court orders in relation to parenting arrangements and a parenting plan should be sufficient.
However a lot of parents prefer the certainty of having formal consent court orders, which can be enforced by a court, as circumstances can change in the future, especially if one or both parents re-partner and once what was an amicable relationship can become strained.
Contact DA Family Lawyers Online for more information on Parenting Plan issues.
