Planning Summer Holiday Child Arrangements After Separation

Planning a holiday away with your children should be exciting, but if you co-parent, it can sometimes become a source of stress and conflict.

Separated parents sometimes clash over who is taking the children where, when, and with whom during the school holidays. Scheduling issues, different parenting styles, disruption to education, and welfare worries can all cause heightened emotions when trying to plan for the holidays.

Here at Hibberts Solicitors, our family law solicitors in Cheshire are here to help families navigate child arrangements after separation amicably. In this article, we’ll explain what permission you need to take your child on holiday and share tips for peaceful co-parenting during the summer break.

How to agree on child arrangements for the summer holidays

If you are separated or divorced from your partner, it’s important to work together to ensure your children still enjoy a relaxed and joyful summer holiday. While balancing arrangements across two households can sometimes be challenging, a little forward planning, good communication, and flexibility can keep summer holidays running smoothly.

Revisit your Child Arrangements Order

If there is already a Child Arrangements Order in place, it’s important to check if it includes arrangements for school holidays like Christmas and summer. If it does, both parents should either follow the terms of the order or apply to modify it if they believe it is no longer right for their child.

Focus on the child’s best interests

Remember to keep your child’s best interests at the heart of every decision you make. Most children benefit from stability and spending meaningful time with both parents during the holidays.

Agree on plans as early as possible

Balancing work commitments, travel plans, and time seeing friends and family across multiple households can be difficult, so planning ahead is key. Agreeing on arrangements early can help avoid misunderstandings and give your child a clearer idea of what to expect during the holidays.

Be flexible

In an ideal world, separated parents would divide the school holidays 50/50. But in reality, this isn’t always possible. Being willing to compromise over dates, special occasions, or travel plans can help to maintain a more positive co-parenting relationship and reduce stress for everyone involved.

Put agreements in writing

Never make plans based solely on a verbal agreement. After the conversation, always put down in writing what you think has been agreed and send it to the other parent by text message or email. Having written evidence and confirmation of what has been discussed can help to avoid confusion or disagreements later down the line.

Do I need permission to take my child abroad on holiday?

The only time you don’t need permission from the other parent in order to take a child away on holiday is if you have a Child Arrangement Order that states the child “lives with” you. If this is the case, you can take the child abroad for up to 28 days without the other parent’s permission – unless the order states otherwise.

However, if there is no Child Arrangements Order in place, you must obtain permission from everyone else with parental responsibility before taking your child abroad after divorce. Permission should be given in the form of a written letter and should include details of the trip and contact details for the person giving permission.

Take this letter with you when you travel, along with the child’s birth certificate, in case you are asked to provide evidence of your relationship to the child or permission to take them abroad.

Even if you are not formally required to get permission from the other parent, doing so anyway can help to maintain a more respectful and positive co-parenting relationship.

What do I do if my ex-partner won’t give permission?

It’s not uncommon for separated parents to disagree about holiday arrangements, particularly when one parent wants to take the child abroad.

The first thing to do is get to the bottom of why permission is being refused. It could be that the other parent has genuine concerns about the child’s welfare or your travel plans, which could be resolved through open communication and reassurance.

If you still cannot get the other parent’s consent, you’ll need to seek legal advice at this point, as taking a child abroad without permission is considered child abduction under UK law.

At Hibberts, our child law solicitors can provide a referral to mediation to help you resolve the disagreement amicably without going to court. If this is unsuccessful, you may be able to apply to the court for a Specific Issue Order to request permission to take your child abroad.

Contact Hibberts’ family law solicitors for help with child arrangements

At Hibberts Solicitors, our family and child law solicitors in Nantwich and Crewe provide practical and compassionate legal support to separated families dealing with child arrangement disputes.

Whether you need advice about taking your child abroad, support with updating a Child Arrangements Order, or mediation services to help resolve a dispute over holiday plans, we’re here to help.

Contact us today by calling 01270 624 225 or by emailing enquiries@hibberts.com