[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”justified” header_text_align=”justify” header_text_color=”#c5b2b1″ header_2_text_color=”#c984a4″ header_2_text_align=”justify” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Getting your family summer holiday booked always needed a plan \u2013 usually months in advance. Where to go that suits everyone, when, making sure everything\u2019s booked in time… But how do you make summer holiday plans when you separate?<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re getting divorced the planning process can become even more complicated.\u00a0 <\/span>You might not have to take into account your soon-to-be-ex\u2019s love of historic castles anymore. But you will need to agree who has the children when.\u00a0 <\/span>And you may need to get their consent to take the children away. Now is the time to get your summer holiday plans in place. And to make sure they\u2019re legally compliant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before we get into the holiday itself, think about the long six-week summer holidays. School will be out. Do you and your soon-to-be-ex have a plan for who will have the children throughout July and August?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Will both of you need to factor in time off work? Will you need to agree finances to cover holiday clubs or other childcare? Do you need to consult with friends and family about them helping?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now is the time to get a plan in place if you don\u2019t have one already. If you have a Parenting Plan already established it is useful to agree general principles relating to the children\u2019s holidays as part of this. Then you can agree more specific dates and details on an annual or quarterly basis. You can read more about Parenting Plans here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If both parents have parental responsibility then you need to agree overseas holiday arrangements rather than act unilaterally. You are both at liberty to take the children on holiday within the UK, but, of course, the best practice is that the other parent knows what is happening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If one of you wishes to take children overseas this must<\/i> be with the agreement of both of you. Taking a child without permission is classed as abduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The only exceptions to this are if you are a \u2018living with\u2019 order. If that is the case that parent can take the children abroad without consent for up to 28 days. Ensure you have a copy of the order with you at all times when you travel. The only other case when a parent can take a child abroad without the other parent\u2019s consent is when a court has granted a specific order for the trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you do take your children overseas on holiday with the consent of your ex-partner, make sure you get permission in writing and keep this with you. While this is not strictly necessary it can be useful to have a document containing your ex\u2019s permission and their contact details in case you are asked at border control. It\u2019s also useful to have birth and divorce certificates in case you are questioned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether you stay in the UK or travel further afield the best-case scenario is that you both discuss and agree holiday arrangements together. If you are both fully informed you can both prepare the children for how they will spend their summer holidays, and you can prepare for your own child-free time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is a good idea to get into a cycle of agreeing holiday plans at the start of the school year. That way you, your ex-partner and your children all know where you stand for the rest of the year. Of course, the 2020-21 school year looked very different! So if you haven\u2019t made plans for the school holidays yet, now is the time. Don\u2019t leave it until June. It\u2019s easier for things to be calmer if you have more time to get things organised.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you and your ex-partner have an amicable, or at least civil, parenting relationship, you can create a plan together. One way to do this is to agree to both put forward your suggestions then work from there. Or if they are dragging their heels, you could make some suggestions, and invite them to agree or suggest other arrangements. Once you have your plan in place, include it as part of your Parenting Plan documentation so you can refer back to it if needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If discussion is getting you nowhere a mediator can help. A mediator can talk with both of you to help create a plan. They will help to focus discussion on the best interests of the children and aim to facilitate a workable solution for everyone. Holidays can be an emotional hotspot, so getting mediation is a good way to ensure you stay on track\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You don\u2019t need permission from your ex-partner to take your children on holiday in the UK, unless you want to change court-ordered arrangements to do it. You do need permission if you are taking the children overseas. The courts would prefer you to decide between yourselves if possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If your ex-partner will not grant permission you can apply for a court order. You will need to make this application as soon as possible.<\/p>\n The court will decide whether or not it is in the child\u2019s best interests to go on the holiday. The court will consider factors such as:<\/p>\n If you do get a court order granting you permission to travel, make sure you take the documentation with you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can find out more about gaining permission to take a child abroad from government guidance here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s your first summer apart or your tenth, tackling the summer holiday arrangements can be overwhelming. You might not know what you want, or what\u2019s fair. You might have a crystal clear vision for what you want but know your ex-partner won\u2019t play ball. Or you might be looking for strategies to help your communication go as smoothly as possible, so you all get what you want. You don\u2019t want to jeopardise a decent co-parenting relationship by coming to blows over holiday arrangements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s where I come in. I offer strategy sessions on any aspect of divorce, including holiday planning. And getting the holiday plans sorted isn\u2019t as frivolous as it first appears. How you and your ex-spouse tackle holiday arrangements says a lot about the power relationships between you. And, like it or not, you will have to maintain some sort of relationship into the future as you co-parent or parallel parent your children. So it\u2019s important to get both the tone and the practicalities right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Book in a 1:1 strategy session<\/a><\/span> to sort your holiday plans today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Emma Heptonstall,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0the Divorce Alchemist is the author of the Amazon best selling book\u00a0How to be a Lady Who Leaves, the Ultimate Guide to Getting Divorce Ready<\/strong><\/a>. A former lawyer, Emma is a family mediator and founder of Get Divorce Ready the online self-study and group programmes. Emma has been featured on BBC Radio, The Telegraph, the iPaper and in Marie Claire Magazine. Emma is also the host of\u00a0\u00a0The Six Minute Divorce Podcast<\/a><\/strong>. To find out more visit\u00a0www.emmaheptonstall.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Making Summer Holiday Plans For Children When You Separate Getting your family summer holiday booked always needed a plan \u2013 usually months in advance. Where to go that suits everyone, when, making sure everything\u2019s booked in time… But how do you make summer holiday plans when you separate? When you\u2019re getting divorced the planning process […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Getting your family summer holiday booked always needed a plan \u2013 usually months in advance. Where to go that suits everyone, when, making sure everything\u2019s booked in time... But how do you make summer holiday plans when you separate?<\/p> When you\u2019re getting divorced the planning process can become even more complicated.\u00a0 <\/span>You might not have to take into account your soon-to-be-ex\u2019s love of historic castles anymore. But you will need to agree who has the children when.\u00a0 <\/span>And you may need to get their consent to take the children away. Now is the time to get your summer holiday plans in place. And to make sure they\u2019re legally compliant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Before we get into the holiday itself, think about the long six-week summer holidays. School will be out. Do you and your soon-to-be-ex have a plan for who will have the children throughout July and August?\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Will both of you need to factor in time off work? Will you need to agree finances to cover holiday clubs or other childcare? Do you need to consult with friends and family about them helping?\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Now is the time to get a plan in place if you don\u2019t have one already. If you have a Parenting Plan already established it is useful to agree general principles relating to the children\u2019s holidays as part of this. Then you can agree more specific dates and details on an annual or quarterly basis. You can read more about Parenting Plans here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If both parents have parental responsibility then you need to agree overseas holiday arrangements rather than act unilaterally. You are both at liberty to take the children on holiday within the UK, but, of course, the best practice is that the other parent knows what is happening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If one of you wishes to take children overseas this must<\/i> be with the agreement of both of you. Taking a child without permission is classed as abduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> The only exceptions to this are if you are a \u2018living with\u2019 order. If that is the case that parent can take the children abroad without consent for up to 28 days. Ensure you have a copy of the order with you at all times when you travel. The only other case when a parent can take a child abroad without the other parent\u2019s consent is when a court has granted a specific order for the trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If you do take your children overseas on holiday with the consent of your ex-partner, make sure you get permission in writing and keep this with you. While this is not strictly necessary it can be useful to have a document containing your ex\u2019s permission and their contact details in case you are asked at border control. It\u2019s also useful to have birth and divorce certificates in case you are questioned.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Whether you stay in the UK or travel further afield the best-case scenario is that you both discuss and agree holiday arrangements together. If you are both fully informed you can both prepare the children for how they will spend their summer holidays, and you can prepare for your own child-free time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> It is a good idea to get into a cycle of agreeing holiday plans at the start of the school year. That way you, your ex-partner and your children all know where you stand for the rest of the year. Of course, the 2020-21 school year looked very different! So if you haven\u2019t made plans for the school holidays yet, now is the time. Don\u2019t leave it until June. It\u2019s easier for things to be calmer if you have more time to get things organised.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If you and your ex-partner have an amicable, or at least civil, parenting relationship, you can create a plan together. One way to do this is to agree to both put forward your suggestions then work from there. Or if they are dragging their heels, you could make some suggestions, and invite them to agree or suggest other arrangements. Once you have your plan in place, include it as part of your Parenting Plan documentation so you can refer back to it if needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If discussion is getting you nowhere a mediator can help. A mediator can talk with both of you to help create a plan. They will help to focus discussion on the best interests of the children and aim to facilitate a workable solution for everyone. Holidays can be an emotional hotspot, so getting mediation is a good way to ensure you stay on track\u00a0<\/span><\/p> You don\u2019t need permission from your ex-partner to take your children on holiday in the UK, unless you want to change court-ordered arrangements to do it. You do need permission if you are taking the children overseas. The courts would prefer you to decide between yourselves if possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> If your ex-partner will not grant permission you can apply for a court order. You will need to make this application as soon as possible.<\/p> The court will decide whether or not it is in the child\u2019s best interests to go on the holiday. The court will consider factors such as:<\/p> If you do get a court order granting you permission to travel, make sure you take the documentation with you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> You can find out more about gaining permission to take a child abroad from government guidance here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Whether it\u2019s your first summer apart or your tenth, tackling the summer holiday arrangements can be overwhelming. You might not know what you want, or what\u2019s fair. You might have a crystal clear vision for what you want but know your ex-partner won\u2019t play ball. Or you might be looking for strategies to help your communication go as smoothly as possible, so you all get what you want. You don\u2019t want to jeopardise a decent co-parenting relationship by coming to blows over holiday arrangements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> That\u2019s where I come in. I offer strategy sessions on any aspect of divorce, including holiday planning. And getting the holiday plans sorted isn\u2019t as frivolous as it first appears. How you and your ex-spouse tackle holiday arrangements says a lot about the power relationships between you. And, like it or not, you will have to maintain some sort of relationship into the future as you co-parent or parallel parent your children. So it\u2019s important to get both the tone and the practicalities right.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Book in a 1:1 strategy session<\/a><\/span> to sort your holiday plans today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p> Emma Heptonstall,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0the Divorce Alchemist is the author of the Amazon best selling book\u00a0How to be a Lady Who Leaves, the Ultimate Guide to Getting Divorce Ready<\/strong><\/a>. A former lawyer, Emma is a family mediator and founder of Get Divorce Ready the online self-study and group programmes. Emma has been featured on BBC Radio, The Telegraph, the iPaper and in Marie Claire Magazine. Emma is also the host of\u00a0\u00a0The Six Minute Divorce Podcast<\/a><\/strong>. To find out more visit\u00a0www.emmaheptonstall.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[34,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-children-and-divorce","category-divorce-support"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Copy-of-EH_BlogImage-40.png?fit=1000%2C516&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6aDhr-4dM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.emmaheptonstall.com\/divorce-coaching\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/span>Childcare over the summer holidays<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Taking children away on holiday<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Coming up with a plan together<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Getting the courts involved<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
<\/span>I can help you plan<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>About Emma<\/span><\/h2>\n
Making Summer Holiday Plans For Children When You Separate<\/h1>
Childcare over the summer holidays<\/h2>
Taking children away on holiday<\/h2>
Coming up with a plan together<\/h2>
Getting the courts involved<\/h2>
I can help you plan<\/h2>
About Emma<\/h2>