Also known as a parental plan, a parenting plan is often used in cases involving divorce, separation, annulment, and custody. This type of plan is an agreement between parents that details the schedule as well as the duties and responsibilities of each in the rearing of their children.
What Does a Parenting Plan Usually Include?
A parenting plan typically includes important issues such as:
A schedule outlining how much time and when each parent will spend with the child.
The duties and responsibilities of each parent.
Parental rights, which include who will be responsible for making important decisions ( e.g., education, religion, medical) for the child, as well as rights regarding child support, custody, and visitation.
Rights of other parties, such as grandparents or stepparents.
In a parenting plan, parents can negotiate with one another and include any other issues that may be pertinent to their child, so long as they can agree upon the terms. Once a plan is written out, a judge will use the “best interest of the child” standard, and base their decision on the needs of the child.