Family Matters: Parenting Agreement For Scotland ? Plan

YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN

The following sections in the Plan focus on some specific areas of your children's lives which, as parents, you will need to consider. Before you move onto this, you can fill in your names and those of your children in the space below.

Parents' Names

_______________________________ _____________________________

Children

Name	Date of Birth
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________

If you feel that there are any other people with a close involvement in caring for your children whose names you would also like to record in the Plan (e.g. grandparents or step-parents) you can include their details below.

Others

Name	Relationship to Children
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________
__________________________	__________________________

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

Page 5 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered when agreeing living arrangements for your children. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

Where will your children live and for what periods? (This may include more than one address)

___________________________________________________________________

How much time will they spend with each of you in a way which is realistic, practical and in the children's best interests?

___________________________________________________________________

How might you best spend this time with your children?

___________________________________________________________________

If a visit needs to be postponed by an adult, how and by whom will this be explained to the children?

___________________________________________________________________

If your child needs to postpone or rearrange a planned visit, how will this be managed?

___________________________________________________________________

Will the children be able to stay overnight at each of your homes?

___________________________________________________________________

How else will the children keep in contact, e.g. e-mail, phone calls, text message, post?

___________________________________________________________________

Are there any firm rules that you want to agree on for your children?
(Depending on their ages, these might include bedtimes, staying out late or smoking, for example).

___________________________________________________________________

Which other people do you feel are suitable to look after your children?
(This might include grandparents, other relatives, neighbours).

___________________________________________________________________

If either of you have a new partner, how will you introduce them to your children?

___________________________________________________________________

How might you deal with any reluctance by either your former partner, or particularly your children, to be involved with a new partner?

___________________________________________________________________

keeping in touch

Page 9 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered concerning other people your children will keep in touch with. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

Which family members and friends who are important to your children will they stay in contact with?

___________________________________________________________________

(For younger children, you may even want to ask them to fill in the diagram below)

People who are important to me

How will you arrange for your children to stay in contact with these people?

___________________________________________________________________

How often will contact take place?

___________________________________________________________________

Other than visits, can your children be encouraged to stay in touch with these other people by other means, such as by e-mail, letter or phone?

___________________________________________________________________

School

Page 11 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered concerning your children's schooling. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

How will the school be informed about your family's change of circumstances - will you meet with the school's guidance staff, for example?

___________________________________________________________________

How will you ensure that each parent receives school reports and other details of yours children's progress?

___________________________________________________________________

How will you ensure that each parent receives information about school events?

___________________________________________________________________

Will both of you attend school functions such as parents' evenings and sports days? Will you attend these functions together or separately?

___________________________________________________________________

How will you and your former partner make decisions about which school the children will attend; how will you help them make decisions about their choice of subjects and future career options?

___________________________________________________________________

If one of your children is ill, or if there is any kind of emergency, who should the school contact?

___________________________________________________________________

If one of your children has problems at school, who should the school contact?

___________________________________________________________________

Have you informed the school about who will be picking up the children on particular days?

___________________________________________________________________

Who should be consulted on, and give consent to, school trips? How will these be paid for?

___________________________________________________________________

HOLIDAYS AND OTHER 'SPECIAL' DAYS

Page 13 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered around your children's holidays. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

When school holidays come along, how will you share responsibility for caring for your children?

___________________________________________________________________

During the holidays, will the children be spending time with other people, such as grandparents or other relatives?

___________________________________________________________________

Can either of you take the children away on holiday? Abroad?

___________________________________________________________________

How will holidays be paid for?

___________________________________________________________________

What arrangements will you make for other days when schools are closed, such as inservice days?

___________________________________________________________________

What arrangements will you make for birthdays and other 'special' days?

___________________________________________________________________

Have you discussed these arrangements with your children to see what their views are?

HEALTH

Page 15 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered relating to your children's health care. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

How will your children's GP be informed about the family's change of circumstances, including where the children are now living as well as contact details of both parents?

___________________________________________________________________

Who will be responsible for ensuring that your children keep routine medical and dental appointments?

___________________________________________________________________

If one of your children has a chronic or long-term illness, what arrangements have you made to ensure they can get the help they need at all times, no matter who they are living with?

___________________________________________________________________

If one of you is ill and unable to look after the children, what arrangements will you make to deal with this?

___________________________________________________________________

In the event of an emergency, who can you call on to help with childcare?

___________________________________________________________________

Who will give parental consent to medical treatment when consent is required by a GP or hospital?

___________________________________________________________________

MONEY MATTERS

Page 17 of the Guide discusses some of the issues to be considered concerning financial support for your children. You may wish to read this before completing the following section.

Have you discussed the cost of financially supporting your children?

___________________________________________________________________

Are there regular payments already being made by either of you?

___________________________________________________________________

How will things like children's clothes and shoes be paid for?

___________________________________________________________________

How will bigger things such as a computer or bicycle be paid for?

___________________________________________________________________

Have you considered making long-term provision for your children's future needs, such as the cost of further education?

___________________________________________________________________

Will you consider discussing together what might be appropriate 'big' presents at Christmas and on birthdays?

___________________________________________________________________

OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

There are any number of other situations relating to your children's care which you will need to consider. The previous sections have dealt with some of the major ones. If there are any other arrangements which you wish to include in this Plan, you may wish to record these in the space below.

___________________________________________________________________

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