One of, if not the most, frequent calls that family lawyers get from a panicked parent comes when a vacation is days away and the other parent won’t sign the required consents or travel documents.  That can mean that some pretty exciting trips to Disney World, or the Caribbean, or elsewhere are in jeopardy for the kids and travel insurance probably won’t cover the trip.   Sometimes the other parent has legitimate concerns.  But, more often that parent is bitter or jealous of the trip, or worried that it will give the travelling parent and “advantage” with the children.  That often means that at least one of the parents is not making decisions based on what is best for the children, and, as a result, the children are losing out.  That, “the children’s needs are secondary” approach in conflicts between parents is how children get harmed after separation or in divorce.

To avoid these difficult situations, in this episode of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, explains the law around kids travelling after separation, how to avoid problems around travel, what consents, permissions or court orders are required, what to do when planning a trip for children after separation and, what steps a parent has to take when the other parent is being unreasonable about a proposed trip.  A video version is available on YouTube.

If you found this episode helpful, check out these other episodes on similar topics:

60 - Should You Take Your Ex to Family Court?

59 - Why You Won’t Get Custody of the Kids

36 - Is Family Court Biased?

32 - How to Change a Support Order or Agreement

15 - Ontario Family Court, Step by Step  - Part 2: From First Appearance to the Last Appearance Before Trial

14 - Ontario Family Court, Step by Step  - Part 2: Starting and Responding to Family Court Proceedings

The Ontario Family Law Podcast is a companion to the book, Guide to the Basics of Ontario Family Law, which is available  as a $9.99 Kindle eBook, Kobo eBook, or iBook for your iPad or iPhone and as a paperback from Amazon and better bookstores.