Typical Child Contact Arrangement Examples

A child contact arrangement is a plan setting out how a child will spend time with each parent after a divorce or separation. A child contact arrangement can be reached with or without the assistance of a family court judge.  

A well-drafted child contact arrangement will always 

• Prioritise the child’s existing school schedule and activities (e.g. after-school clubs) 

• Work within the capabilities of both parents to care for the child, taking into account their employment and other commitments, and  

• Provide a reliable and consistent structure for day-to-day life 

There is ‘no one size fits all’ child contact arrangement as it will very much depend on the circumstances of the individuals concerned.  

In this article, we will look at some examples of different child contact arrangements, including shared parenting, one parent as the primary caregiver, and long-distance family situations. 

Shared Parenting Examples 

Shared parenting, also known as shared or 50/50 joint custody, will typically work well where parents live in relatively close proximity (e.g. in the same town) and who get on well despite their separation. By communicating effectively, parents who live close to one another can provide a stable family environment for their children after divorce. There are many ways to create a shared parenting child contact arrangement, including where each parent will have their child on a: 

• ‘2-2-3’ schedule – whereby the child spends two days with one parent, two days with the other, then three days back with the first. The following week, the pattern reverses. This arrangement gives both parents time during the week and alternates weekends. 

• ‘3-4-4-3’ schedule – whereby the child stays three days with one parent, then four with the other. The pattern flips the next week. This setup creates a consistent rhythm with fewer handovers than some other plans. 

• Alternating week schedule – whereby the child lives with one parent for a full week, then switches to the other parent the following week. This may work well for older children or when parents live at a distance. 

• ‘2-2-5-5’ schedule – with this type of schedule, over a two-week cycle, the child spends two days with one parent, two with the other, then five days with the first parent, followed by five days with the second. This helps to keep weekdays consistent for each parent. 

One parent as primary caregiver examples 

In some situations, it may be more practical for one parent to act as the primary caregiver (e.g. if the working schedule of the other parent does not allow them to look after their child on a normal schedule). With this type of arrangement, the child will have their main residence with one parent, and the other parent will have contact time. For example, the child may stay with their primary caregiver during the week and with the other at the weekend.  

Primary caregiver arrangements typically work best in the following situations: 

• Very young children or babies – young infants need a stable routine and to be close to a primary parent.  

• Breastfeeding – in this situation, child contact is usually arranged around the feeding schedule of the child 

• Significant distance between parents’ homes  

• When one parent has an unpredictable or demanding work schedule 

• When a child has additional needs or medical conditions 

• In situations of parental conflict or where communication between parents is difficult or hostile 

• If the child expresses a preference to stay with one parent. 

Long-distance child contact arrangement  

Long-distance child contact arrangements can be created in a number of ways. It may be that the child lives with one parent predominantly and travels to the other parent every second or third weekend, depending on the distance and travel time. Other arrangements can then be put in place for the school holidays, for example, where the child spends longer blocks of time during half-terms, Easter, summer, and Christmas with the non-resident parent.  

Other long-distance child contact arrangements include: 

• Alternating school holidays – whereby the child will spend the whole school holidays with the other parent on an alternating basis 

• Mid-distance meet-ups or handovers – whereby the parents agree to meet halfway for handovers or to allow contact 

• Video calls between visits – phone or video calls help maintain the child’s relationship with the non-resident parent between in-person contact. 

• Travel-based handovers – whereby one parent travels with the child to the other parent to drop them off and vice versa 

• 70/30 time split – with a 70/30 split, one parent has the child for the majority of the time, often during the school week, while the other parent usually has the weekends.  

• Extended visit plans – for parents who live far apart, it is common for the child to spend longer periods with each parent, such as full weeks or school holidays, to reduce travel and disruption.  

Child Contact Arrangement Examples During Holidays 

Holidays such as during festive periods and holidays abroad can be handled in a number of ways, including: 

• The child spends Christmas with each parent on an alternating basis 

• Spending half of the summer holidays with each parent 

• Reaching an agreement on when the child will go abroad with each parent, so that booking clashes do not occur 

• Keeping holidays and festive periods flexible by coming to an arrangement each year, well in advance of summer holidays and the Christmas period 

• Parents alternate half-term and Easter holidays to ensure that they have meaningful time with their child. 

Changing Child Contact Arrangement 

If it becomes necessary to change child contact arrangements, this can be achieved in a number of ways. If you get on well with your child’s other parent and the current plan has been successful to date, you can simply come to an agreement between yourselves on any changes necessary. It is important to be clear and have this in writing so that you both understand what you are agreeing to. If you need the assistance of a family court judge to reach an agreement (i.e. if you cannot agree or to make sure that the agreement is enforceable), you may need to apply for a Child Arrangements Order (CAO) to have the arrangement legally formalised and approved. Alternatively, you can apply to the court for a specific issues order to resolve a particular matter, such as whether you can take your child abroad on holiday.