Interdependence of Actions by Parents

Overview
As a parent you need to communicate with your child's other parent. You may not want to but it is very much in your child's best interests that you do.

Case Law
Much of this article is drawn from Court of Appeal judgement by HJ Wall - A v A (2004) EWHC 142 (Fam) What it says is sensible and, since it is in the Court of Appeal, can be used in the courts if a parent is not doing the right thing. The interesting bit is at the bottom of the judgement and is reproduced here:

1 Decisions that could be taken independently and without any consultation or notification to the other parent.

. How the children are to spend their time during contact

. Personal care for the children

. Activities undertaken

. Religious and spiritual pursuits

. Continuance of medicine treatment prescribed by GP

2 Decisions where one parent would always need to inform the other parent of the decision, but did not need to consult or take the other parent's views into account.

� Medical Treatment in an emergency

� Booking holidays or to take the children abroad in contact time

� Planned visits to the GP and the reasons for this

3 Decisions that you would need to both inform and consult the other parent prior to making the decision.

� Schools the children are to attend, including admissions applications. With reference to which senior school C should attend this is to be decided taking into account C's own views and in consultation and with advice from her teachers.

� Contact rotas in school holidays

� Planned medical and dental treatment

� Stopping medication prescribed for the children

� Attendance at school functions so they can be planned to avoid meetings wherever possible

� Age that children should be able to watch videos. ie videos recommended for children over 12 and 18.