Navigating Child Arrangements During School Holidays
- Sarah-Jane Turnbull
- May 1
- 4 min read
School holidays are often a joyful time for children, but for separated or divorced parents, they can bring additional challenges. Arranging child arrangements during breaks requires careful planning, clear communication, and a focus on your child’s needs.
From managing holiday childcare to planning trips or special activities, families face unique considerations, such as term dates, holiday travel rules, and school schedules. This blog offers practical advice to help you create stress-free co-parenting plans that ensure your children have a happy and memorable holiday.
Why School Holidays Can Be Challenging for Co-Parents
School holidays disrupt regular routines, requiring parents to adjust and coordinate their plans. Common challenges faced by families include:
Disagreements over holiday plans: Who spends time with the children and when.
Travel logistics: Managing family visits or holidays abroad (which may require written permission from both parents if travelling outside the UK).
Work schedules: Juggling work commitments and arranging suitable childcare for non-term time.
Creating a fair co-parenting plan for holidays can reduce these pressures and give children stability.
Tips for Planning Child Arrangements for UK School Holidays
1. Plan Well in Advance
Planning early gives parents time to organise activities, book childcare or holidays, and avoid last-minute disagreements.
Review your child’s school term dates and identify key breaks, such as summer holidays, Easter, Christmas, and half-terms.
Discuss potential plans several months in advance to ensure both parents can make arrangements that work.
Early planning also allows children to understand the schedule and feel secure about their upcoming holidays.
2. Prioritise Your Child’s Needs
While both parents may have preferences, the priority should always be what’s best for your child.
Consider:
How to maintain stability for your child, such as familiar routines or traditions.
Opportunities for your child to enjoy quality time with both parents.
Activities that create fun, positive experiences, whether it’s a trip to the park, a family holiday, or simply spending time together at home.
3. Create a Balanced Schedule
A good holiday plan should give both parents meaningful time with the children while considering work and personal schedules.
Some approaches families use include:
Alternating weeks: For example, one parent may have the children for the first week of the summer holidays, and the other for the second.
Splitting holidays: Divide key holidays like Christmas or Easter so both parents get to celebrate special occasions with the children.
Factoring in extended family: Ensure children can also see grandparents or cousins if that’s important to them.
Flexibility is key. If one parent has less time off work during a break, the schedule can be adjusted to ensure children get the best experience possible.
4. Address Travel Plans Early
If you or your co-parent are planning holidays abroad, keep in mind the legal requirements in the UK:
The parent travelling with the child will usually need written permission from the other parent.
It’s also important to agree on travel dates, destinations, and itineraries well in advance to avoid unnecessary conflict.
Mediation can help if you need support resolving disputes about holiday travel.
5. Use Mediation to Resolve Disagreements
If conversations about holiday plans become difficult, mediation provides a neutral and supportive space to work through issues.
Mediation offers:
A chance to create tailored holiday schedules that suit your family’s unique needs.
A child-focused approach to ensure decisions are made in their best interests.
A way to reduce conflict and improve communication between parents.
How Mediation Benefits Families During School Holidays
Mediation is a cost-effective and collaborative way for families to resolve disputes about child arrangements, especially during busy periods like school holidays.
Key Benefits Include:
Child-Focused Solutions: Mediation ensures that your child’s well-being is the priority.
Better Communication: Mediators help parents communicate more effectively and reduce misunderstandings.
Customised Plans: Mediation allows you to create plans that suit your family’s unique circumstances, from work commitments to travel logistics.
Legal Support: Agreements made in mediation can be formalised into a Parenting Plan or made legally binding if needed.
Client Feedback: Real Stories of Success
“Mediation gave us a way to agree on our summer holiday plans without constant arguments. The kids knew exactly where they would be, and we both got to enjoy quality time with them.”
“The mediator helped us create a Christmas schedule that worked for everyone. It made the holidays so much more peaceful for the children.”
How Pax Mediation Can Help
At Pax Mediation, our FMCA-accredited family mediators understand the challenges families face when planning for school holidays. We can help you:
Create balanced and practical holiday schedules.
Resolve disputes about travel, time-sharing, or special events.
Focus on child-centred solutions that reduce conflict and prioritise your child’s well-being.
📞 Call us: 0800 058 4303
📧 Email us: admin@paxmediation.co.uk
Take the Stress Out of School Holidays
With careful planning and the right support, school holidays can be a joyful time for both children and parents. Using mediation to develop child arrangements ensures a positive experience for everyone involved. If you’re ready to create a plan that works for your family, Pax Mediation is here to help.
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