What Is Included in an Illinois Parenting Plan?

 Posted on October 29, 2024 in Child Custody

When parents get divorced, one of the most important tasks they need to accomplish is creating a parenting plan. This outlines how they will continue raising their children once their marriage is over. It includes details about who will pay for what, who will make certain decisions on behalf of the child, where the child will sleep, and more.

Most parents want to make sure their child’s best interests are being met, but it can be hard to prioritize that when you are in the process of getting a divorce. If you want to learn more about successful methods for creating a parenting plan, speak with an experienced Arlington Heights, IL divorce lawyer.

What Is a Parenting Plan?

"Parenting plan" is the term for the guidelines of how co-parents share parental responsibilities and rights after a divorce. It helps parents navigate complex issues that can come up when unmarried parents try to raise a child. The key components include:

• Allocation of parental responsibilities: This is the part of child custody that refers to the authority to make important decisions on behalf of a child. These decisions particularly address the child’s religion, education, health care, and extracurricular activities, although other decisions can be included.

• Parenting time schedule: This is a plan for when the child will be with either parent. It should go into detail, including the date, time, and location when and where a child will be with a parent. It is highly recommended to address the school year routine, school breaks, vacations, special events, or holidays.

Do My Ex and I Need a Parenting Plan?

Even for couples who are on good terms with each other, a parenting plan is highly recommended. In fact, it is far better to work on creating it sooner rather than later in case there is a shift in the dynamic.

Regardless of preferences, a parenting plan is a mandatory part of a divorce settlement when parents separate. The reason is that the state of Illinois wants to ensure that all children can continue maintaining their exisiting relationships with their parents even after the marriage is over.

What Components Need to be Included in a Parenting Plan?

There is a lot of important information that needs to be included in an Illinois parenting plan. Divorcing parents in Illinois can choose to use a standardized form or to create their own customized plan that addresses unique family needs and interests. Regardless, there are several required aspects of a parenting plan, including:

• Decision-making: This will explain in detail how the parents will handle major decisions that affect the child.

• Parenting time: The parents are obligated to have a schedule showing when each parent will be with the child. This will include details on how weekdays, weekends, holidays, and vacations will be addressed.

• Transportation and exchange: The plan needs to include information about how the child will be transported between the parents. It will explain where and when the child is to be picked up and dropped off, and can also address how the child will be transported elsewhere, for example, to and from extracurricular activities.

• Communication: This will include information about how each parent can communicate with their child when the child is with the other parent. It can also include a plan for when the parents need to share information about the child with each other, for example, during a medical emergency.

Contact an Arlington Heights, IL Child Custody Attorney

If you and your spouse are considering divorce but are unsure of how it might affect your children, speak with a knowledgeable Arlington Heights, IL divorce lawyer. At A. Traub & Associates, we are dedicated to helping families attain the best possible outcomes in legal proceedings. Call us at 847-749-4182 to schedule a private consultation.