Creating a Parenting Plan in Toronto

A parenting plan is an agreement between parents living separately regarding how they will raise their children. The plan covers fundamental information like where the children will live, how much time they will spend with each parent, and who will be responsible for making significant decisions about their lives.

Creating a parenting plan in Toronto requires thought and careful consideration. An experienced parenting time lawyer can help a parent developing a plan understand the legal requirements and the pragmatic factors they should anticipate when formulating their plan.

Parenting Agreement Essentials

Your parenting agreement will impact the ease with which your children adjust to the changes in their family. It is essential that you and your co-parent both prioritize the children’s needs above your own when negotiating. An experienced Toronto lawyer could explain how local courts evaluate a child’s best interests when reviewing parenting agreements.

Your plan must address parenting time, which is the time when you are responsible for the children, but they are not necessarily in your presence. The law favors both parents having as much time with the children as is feasible. However, when a parent poses a danger to the children or the coparent, or when the parents cannot communicate constructively, shared parenting time may not be an option.

A parenting agreement must address decision-making responsibility, which is the authority to make decisions about the child’s health, education, religion, and cultural practices. The Ontario Children’s Law Reform Act S. 20 states that each parent has an equal right to hold decision-making responsibility. When your parenting plan calls for shared decision-making, you and your co-parent should consider how you will resolve differences if you disagree.

Informal Plans Work for Many Families

Parents who can put aside their differences for the benefit of their children often find that informal plans work well for them. An informal parenting agreement is simply one that is not registered with the court. Parents might create an informal parenting plan directly, with the help of a mediator or arbitrator, or through their Toronto lawyers.

Parents can craft their agreement to suit their temperament and lifestyles. Many parents opt for a fixed agreement that sets a firm schedule for parenting time over the course of a year. Other parents prefer a more flexible agreement, where they reach a general understanding of how much time the children will spend with each parent but work out the schedule as they go.

Informal plans keep the control in the parents’ hands. However, enforcing an informal agreement is more challenging than if the agreement had the court’s imprimatur.

Court Ordered Parenting Plans

Parents who successfully negotiate a parenting plan may wish to register it with the court. Schools, healthcare providers, and others may want a court-ordered agreement as proof that a parent has legal authority over a child.

When parents cannot reach agreement, they must ask a court to make a parenting order. A Toronto lawyer can help a parent complete the necessary forms and affidavits to initiate this process when creating a parenting plan.

When a court must decide on parenting time, parental responsibility, or both, they focus on the best interests of the children. The judge may ask for a report from the clinical division of the Office of the Children’s Lawyer or request an assessment by a private social worker or mental health professional to help them determine the children’s best interests.

Consult a Toronto Lawyer for Help With Parenting Plan Issues

Parenting agreements provide clarity for parents and reliable structure for children. A thoughtful and thorough parenting plan can ease the transition to separate households for all parties and prevent future disputes.

The professionals at The Riley Divorce and Family Law Firm can provide valuable assistance when you are creating a parenting plan in Toronto and can vigorously represent your interests in court if necessary. We are always available for your convenience, so get in touch today.

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