Plans & arrangements
You have a parenting plan. What happens next?
A plan is easier to use when the everyday details sit alongside it: school holidays, handovers and the moments you agreed to revisit. Start with the version you have made, then choose the next practical step that helps your children move between two homes.
A practical order
Turn the plan into dates and details.
GOV.UK says parents can choose how to make child arrangements when they separate, including where children live and how much time they spend with each parent. A written plan can give your own practical agreement one clear home.
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Keep the agreed version
Use the free parenting plan template to keep the main points together, including routine, school and handovers.
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Start with real school dates
Find your council school term dates, then check your child\'s school calendar for any local differences.
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Make the holiday pattern visible
Use the two-home school holiday planner or the free holiday plan to put the dates and handovers you agree in writing.
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Choose a review point
When routine, school dates or a child\'s needs change, return to the plan and update what you both agree. If you cannot agree, GOV.UK explains the current options for getting help.
Keep the detail close
Want one place for the everyday version?
The templates are free to use on their own. If you would like to hear when ParentGlow early access is available, join the waitlist below. It is a simple next step for parents who want to keep the shared details in one place.
Sources and support
Sources checked 11 October 2026: GOV.UK, Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate, including its links to making a child arrangements plan and getting help to agree.
This is general information, not personal legal advice. If you are worried about safety or feel pressured, use the support options above rather than treating a shared plan as a reason to negotiate alone.
Common questions
After a parenting plan, answered.
What should we do after making a parenting plan?
Keep the version you both agreed, add the practical dates that affect it, and decide how you will review changes. GOV.UK links parents who are separating to a child arrangements plan and other ways to agree. This is general information, not personal legal advice.
Can we use a parenting plan for school holidays?
Yes. You can use a plan to record the holiday pattern you have agreed. Start with your child's actual school dates, then use a holiday template or planner to write down the dates and handovers clearly.
Do we need to join ParentGlow to use the free templates?
No. The free parenting-plan and holiday-plan templates are available without joining. If you want updates when ParentGlow early access is available, you can join the waitlist.
Keep the practicaldetailsclose.
Join the early-access waitlist for a calmer way to organise the everyday details across two homes.
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