Holiday headache for estranged parents
6/23/2010Raising the issue of school holiday child care as early as possible should help to minimise any animosity over arrangements during the summer holidays, Pauline McNamanara, partner, DWF.
School holidays can be a difficult time for separated parents but for many, the pressure of arranging additional childcare could be just the start of their problems.
Dealing with a former partner who has limited contact with their child and who may be reluctant to share the burden can be difficult.
Of course, the opposite can apply if the separated parent feels aggrieved that school holidays do not give them the opportunity to spend more time with their child, and the problem can be compounded if either parent wants to take their child abroad.
Many people make the mistake of pre-booking time off work or arranging foreign holidays in anticipation of this being agreed with the other parent. However, if an agreement is not reached, plans may have to be cancelled.
In the worst case scenario, one of the parents may need to make an application to the court to decide who has what contact with a child over the holiday period. A parent may need to obtain an order to allow them to take their child abroad or to prevent such a trip taking place.
In many cases, a parent will legally require either the written consent or a Court Order before a child can be taken abroad. Without this and for trips over 28 days, an innocent family holiday could be deemed as child abduction!
Notes to editors
DWF LLP is one of the fastest growing law firms in the UK. With over 1,100 people based in Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Preston, DWF provides a range of services grouped in the following sectors:
Corporate
Finance & Restructuring
Litigation
Real Estate
People
Insurance
Private Client
