A Guide for Drafting a Parenting Time Schedule

1. Specify precisely the parenting time schedule (e.g., duration, days, and times). Options include:

• The parenting time schedule could be per the last court order, separation agreement or consent, even if it is not being currently implemented.
• A step-up plan outlined by the court order or agreed to by the parents, determined in advance of the therapy beginning. Specify, if Phase 1 is to commence right away or after an identified duration of therapy and the commencement for the next Phases. For example, within 4 weeks of the therapy commencing, the parenting time shall be ______ and by 8 weeks it shall be ________.   Supervised parenting time indicating by whom, commencement date, days/times of the week, and payment arrangement.

2. Holidays, special occasions and vacations are likely to occur during the therapy process. To minimize therapy setbacks resulting from parental conflict, specify clearly the parenting time schedule for these at least for 90 days from the start of the therapy. If there are no adjustments to the usual parenting time for holidays, indicate same.

3. Specify the pathway to return to Court (or other dispute resolution process, such as mediation/arbitration, parenting coordination) for determination of parenting time after therapy ends or after the final Phase of the step-up plan. 

4. Specify communication/contact between the children and each parent when the children are with the other parent.

5. To minimize the potential for parental conflict and prevent therapy setbacks, identify clearly parenting behaviour protocols for transportation and transfers of the children and for when both parents are at school events or extracurricular activities. Alternatively, or with noncompliance, it may be necessary to prohibit both parents’ attendance at school events or extracurricular activities for a transition period of time.

6. Identify clearly the coparenting communication and child related information sharing protocols (e.g., method, manner, frequency, timing – before and after contacts, about what) and scheduling/calendar protocols (e.g., email protocol, use of software program such as Our Family Wizard). If not, state the family therapist may determine these and may monitor the parents’ written communications.