Agreeing school holiday arrangements with an ex-partner

Sharing-school-holiday-arrangements.jpg.jpg

Whether you love them or loathe them, the school summer holidays are just around the corner. This should be a period when children enjoy a break from school to spend quality time with family and friends. However, if parents are separated or divorced, it can sometimes be difficult to agree on arrangements.

Louise Daniel, a family law solicitor at WHN’s Haslingden office, suggests how holiday breaks can be amicably shared between separated parents and offers further guidance regarding other school holidays, religious celebrations, birthdays and similar family events.

What do I need to consider when planning holidays with my children?

The first consideration for all holiday arrangements is what is best for your children.

If you are divorced or separated and a court order has been made in respect of your children, any defined holiday arrangements, as set out in the court order, must be followed.

In most cases, separated parents do not have a court order stating these necessary arrangements. It is therefore up to the parents to try and resolve matters between themselves regarding holiday arrangements.

If this is not possible, it may require the assistance of mediation and / or a solicitor or ultimately the court.

A court would expect that the children’s time during holiday breaks should be shared between parents, but this may not always be on an equal basis, and again, would depend on the circumstances of each case.

When agreeing school holiday arrangements, each parent’s working commitments will also need to be considered, along with their availability, the distance between each family home and any other circumstances relevant to the case. Arrangements will also depend on the children’s age and level of dependency.

Ideally agreements need to be made well in advance of each holiday period. In some cases, it may be easier to agree a pattern for holidays on a yearly basis so everyone, including the children, knows the arrangements and parents can make holiday plans well in advance.

What are my options for the summer holidays?

The school summer holidays are usually between six and seven weeks in length. Some families prefer to agree a ‘week-on-week off’ arrangement where one parent has the first, third and fifth week of the holiday with the children, and the other parent would have the second, fourth and sixth week of the holiday.

Other alternatives would be a one week on, two weeks off arrangement which enables either parent the option to take the children on holiday for a fortnight.

Any arrangement that involves taking children away on holiday should be undertaken with the agreement of the other parent, with reasonable notice provided along with the dates, flight information and details regarding accommodation.

It is important to note that many employers are considerate regarding requests for holidays from separated parents within the school holiday season, but it is not a legal obligation.

What holiday provisions can I make during half term breaks?

There are three half term holidays each year, usually for one week, in October, February and May. Options available to share the holidays could include one parent always having the same week each year, for example you have the children for October half term, and your ex-partner has the children during the February and May breaks.

This arrangement could then alternate each year. Alternatively there could be an arrangement where each parent has one full week at half term and the one remaining week is shared.

If a one week shared holiday is to be considered, and normal term time arrangements involve alternate weekend contact, it may be beneficial to arrange for the children to continue to spend the first half the week, for example, until Wednesday lunchtime with the parent who has their care for the first weekend of the holiday, as per the ’usual’ alternate weekend arrangements, then returning to the care of the other parent for the balance of the week, including that parent’s usual weekend arrangements.

How can I plan for the Easter school holidays?

The Easter school holidays are usually (but not always) a two-week break and can present additional difficulties if the bank holidays are not always in the middle of the fortnight break. Given it includes two bank holidays, the Easter weekend covers a four-day period, which may make it easier for the children to share the long weekend equally between parents.

How can we share the enjoyment of special occasions with our children?

For divorced or separated parents, it would normally be expected that children spend Mother’s Day with their mother and similarly Father’s Day with their father, regardless of whose weekend these days fall upon. This could be organised on the basis that reciprocal arrangements would be provided for the other parent.

Birthdays can be often more difficult. If you or your children’s birthdays fall during term time, there is less time available to be shared or, if they fall during holidays, the children may be either away or in the care of the other parent.

In the case of your children’s birthdays, a court would normally expect there to be some form of contact between the child and both parents, ideally direct if possible. If this is not possible, a video call or similar arrangement with the option of additional contact added on either at the previous weekend’s contact or the next scheduled time with the other parent.

It can often take a great deal of time and patience to arrive at agreed arrangements but, if you can achieve it, it will obviously be of significant benefit every year, not only to the children, but to both you and your ex-partner.

Louise Daniel has over 25 years’ experience advising clients on separation, divorce, financial and children’s cases. Should you wish to seek advice regarding holiday arrangements or any other family-related matter, please call Louise on 01706 213356 or by emailing your contact details to [email protected]

Enjoyed this? Read more from Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall Solicitors

Latest news

1

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield Edenfield housing development

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield

29 Apr 2025

2

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success Louise Kirby

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success

29 Apr 2025

3

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire Lidl

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire

29 Apr 2025

4

Inspired board reject takeover bid from major shareholder inspired-500x500.png

Inspired board reject takeover bid from major shareholder

29 Apr 2025

5

Pure Leisure Group Expands Portfolio with Acquisition of Twin Lakes Country Club John Morphet at Twin Lakes

Pure Leisure Group Expands Portfolio with Acquisition of Twin Lakes Country Club

29 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

People Power: Exclusive Event Series
Stay ahead in 2025.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
29 Apr 2025 - 29 Apr 2025

People Power: Exclusive Event Series

People's History Museum, Manchester, M3 3ER

17:00 - 21:00

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2
EV-land-2025-05B.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships
30478 Skills Bootcamp open day setting.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:30 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin