Rachael Sutcliffe, Solicitor
As we approach the Christmas period, we are often approached by clients who have concerns about how the arrangements for their children will look. Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration but any uncertainty surrounding child arrangements can cast a cloud over those celebrations.
To avoid any uncertainty for you and, most importantly, your children, it is important to establish a clear arrangement ahead of time, which prioritises the children and ensures that they are able to spend quality time with both parents.
As children are off school and each parent undoubtedly has Christmas plans, a degree of flexibility is often required from both parents. However, there still needs to be a plan in place to avoid any misunderstandings.
Every family is different, and there is no “one size fits all” approach. What works for one family, may not work for yours. It may be that your children enjoy spending Christmas Eve through to midday on Christmas Day with one parent, before spending the remainder of Christmas Day and overnight to Boxing Day with their other parent. Alternatively, your children may not benefit from the day being split in half, and instead another arrangement should be reached to ensure that they are still able to spend quality time with both parents over the festive period.
If your children are not spending time with you or their other parent on Christmas Day, it may be reasonable to arrange a video call during a specific time frame, with both parents being alive to the fact that Christmas Day is often unpredictable and there may need to be some flexibility with both the time and duration of the call.
Regardless of the arrangements, it is crucial that they are finalised well in advance of the Christmas break.
The most important factor is, of course, your children. The arrangements should reflect their best interests. It is important to remember that this is a time for them to be able to spend time with both parents and the arrangements should not be affected by any conflict or adult matters (providing of course that there are no safeguarding issues).
It is always preferable that an agreement can be reached through discussions with your co-parent, but in the event that it appears no agreement will be reached, we are here to provide you with expert advice which is tailored to your circumstances.
Need Support This Festive Season?
If you are worried about child arrangements this Christmas or need guidance on reaching a fair agreement with your co-parent, our specialist family law team is here to help you navigate the process with care and clarity.
👉 Contact our Family Law team to arrange a confidential discussion.