Parenting plan preparation checklist
Parenting plans are written agreements between parents, enforceable as a relevant factor but not as orders. This checklist walks through the preparation of a workable plan post-separation.
This is a 12-step preparation checklist for an Australian parenting plan under the Family Law Act. It covers best interests, decision-making, care arrangements, communication, and dispute resolution between parents.
The checklist
Put the child first
Frame every clause around the child's best interests — the paramount consideration under the Act.
Consider safety first
Apply the primary consideration — protection from harm — ahead of any meaningful relationship consideration.
Define parental responsibility
Set out how long-term decisions (schooling, health, religion) are made — joint or sole.
Set the living arrangements
Define the regular pattern — school weeks, weekends, and holidays.
Cover school holidays
Set the school holiday schedule, including alternate Christmas and Easter arrangements.
Address special days
Cover birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and other culturally significant days.
Define communication
Set expectations for phone and video contact between the child and the non-resident parent.
Cover travel and relocation
Address passport holding, international travel consent, and any relocation limits.
Cover health and education
Set out how medical appointments and school events are shared and communicated.
Cover changeover arrangements
Define changeover location, time, and the parent responsible for transport.
Include a review clause
Include a periodic review clause and a method for amending the plan by agreement.
Include dispute resolution
Include a dispute resolution pathway — FDR before any court application.
When this checklist applies
Use this checklist when drafting a parenting plan for separated parents who have reached agreement out of court.
Common pitfalls
- Plans that ignore safety concerns because the parents are on speaking terms
- No mechanism to handle changes as children age
- Holiday arrangements that are too rigid
- No written communication protocols between parents
- Assuming the plan is legally enforceable without consent orders
Run this checklist on a real matter
Quillio drafts parenting plans, changeover schedules, and communication protocols. See /practice-areas/family-lawyers or start a free trial.
This checklist is a general guide. Parenting plans are not enforceable like court orders — consider consent orders for contested matters.
Use this checklist on your matter.
Quillio can run this checklist on a specific NSW conveyancing matter — confirm each item, calculate adjustments, and generate the supporting documents. The free trial requires no credit card.
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