Creating a Solid Illinois Parenting Plan

 Posted on March 07, 2019 in Child Custody

Divorces can be tough on everyone in the family. For children, a divorce can be especially stressful. Many parents worry about their children when they decide to get a divorce, but children are unique. They may not initially react well to the change, but children are adaptable and will get used to their new living situation quickly. One of the best things you can do to help your child transition easily is making sure there is a sound parenting plan in place before you finalize your divorce.

What is a Parenting Plan?

In Illinois, all couples who have children and are filing for divorce must create a parenting plan before the divorce can be finalized. A parenting plan is a written agreement that outlines most things pertaining to the children of the marriage, including allocated parenting time and significant decision-making responsibilities.

Elements of a Parenting Plan 

Illinois courts urge couples to try to come up with a parenting plan between the two of them before any intervention happens. If the parents cannot agree on a parenting plan, they will be sent to mediation. If mediation still does not produce a parenting plan, then the judge will make decisions about the children that will go into the parenting plan. 

For the most part, a parenting plan can include almost anything you want to include. Illinois does require certain topics to be addressed in a parenting plan before it is approved by the court. An Illinois parenting plan must contain information about:

• How significant decision-making responsibilities are handled;
  
• The child’s living arrangements, such as where the child will be staying on certain days or a method for how living arrangements will be handled;
  
• How parenting plan modifications will be handled;
  
• Each parent’s right of access to the child’s records on medical care, child care and school and extracurricular reports and schedules;
  
• The child’s residential address for school registration purposes;
  
• Each parent’s residential and employment information, like the address and phone number of each;
  
• How parental relocations will be handled;
  
• The requirement that each parent will notify the other about significant child-related issues;
  
• Transportation arrangements;
  
• Communication between the child and parent during the other parent’s parenting time; and
  
• Any other provision that addresses the child’s best interests. 

Get in Touch With a DuPage County Parenting Plan Lawyer Today

There are a lot of things that you must have in your mind when you are going through a divorce, and it can sometimes feel like you do not have everything together. At The Foray Firm, we can make sure you cover everything needed to finalize your divorce. Whether you need a detail-oriented attorney to look over a parenting plan that you and your spouse have come up with, or you need a knowledgeable Bolingbrook parenting plan lawyer to help you create one, we are here for you. Call our office today at 312-702-1293 to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59