Going on holiday should be fun and exciting but sometimes disputes with your ex-partner can lead to arguments and disputes or worst holidays being cancelled. Countrywide Family mediation is perfect for holiday arrangements call us today!

Holiday Arrangements For Children when parents can't agree

Countrywide Family Mediation can help couples work out the issues with a trained, experienced mediator.

During a divorce, it is likely that the last thing the couple or the children themselves are thinking about the holiday arrangements. Then down the line, when everything else has been arranged, it can be frustrating and awkward to try and make a booking that all parties are happy with. As well as this, there are legislation’s in the UK which have been specifically designed to ensure everyone is kept safe and happy.

There are a few mediation methods and laws that can help you if you are having trouble in your area, but there a few main questions you may have regarding this.

If I do not have consent from the other parent, am I still able to take the kids on holiday?

The answer to this question depends on whether you have a CAO, or a Child Arrangement Order. If you have one, then you are able to take the child on holiday for up to one month. If you do not have one of these, then all of the parents will need to consent to the child going on holiday.

Would I be able to take my child away for the entire six weeks holiday?

Even if you do have a CAO in place, unless you have consent from all of the parents you cannot take the child away for the entire six weeks holiday or any length of time that is over one month. With a Child Arrangement Order, the maximum amount of time you can take a child away for is one month. See our FAQs

Family mediation services are more so becoming the norm today in settling disputes. Reasons for this might include maintenance payments and long-term divorce settlements.

What do I need to do if my child is nearly 18?

If your child is 16 or 17, you still need to have a CAO to take them on holiday without the other parent’s consent. The legal age for an adult in the UK is 18, so all laws to do with child custody take this into account.

If the other parent refuses to consent, where does this leave me?

It can feel like there is not a lot of choice for you if the other parent completely refuses to consent to the holiday. You do have some options available to you though. The first option is naturally to try and come to an agreement. The best way to do this is to find out why the other parent has such objection to the holiday. See our fees for mediation.

From there, you can maybe try and figure out a solution. If it is just because of the missed contact time, maybe you can work out an arrangement to make this up when you get back?

Further Advice – Holdiay Arrangements