Before developing your child visitation schedule, it is important to understand the different types of custody in Pennsylvania, which are defined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5302 and include:
• Legal custody
• Partial custody
• Physical custody
• Shared custody
You may also want to look at a sample visitation schedule so you can get an idea of what should be included in your visitation schedule.
A good place to start is by examining each parent’s schedule for available and unavailable time blocks. This preparation helps to ensure that visitation is not scheduled during a parent’s work hours and helps to avoid paying for child care when a parent’s schedule is open. The components that should be included in a comprehensive visitation schedule are:
• Day-to-day schedule. This should specify the days and times your child spends with each parent on a regular basis. If appropriate, the schedule can be broken down by hour, such as when a parent is available to pick up a child from soccer practice while the other parent is still at work.
• Holiday schedule. For holidays and special occasions it is important to allow for an equal amount of time with each parent. Birthdays, major holidays and significant family events such as graduation ceremonies should be included. In your holiday schedule be sure to include the times when the holiday begins and ends so there is no confusion.
• Vacation schedule. Such schedules would include school breaks during the year such as summer break, spring break and winter break.
A Pennsylvania family law attorney can help
Creating a parenting time (visitation) schedule can be a daunting task and may require the help of an experienced Pennsylvania family law attorney. Contact us online or call (215) 886-1266 to discuss your child visitation schedule needs.
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