Parental Responsibility Orders - Parenting contact and responsibility clauses

Sep 1, 2026

Parental Responsibility Orders template provides example legal orders setting out how parental responsibility is allocated and how a child’s time with each parent is arranged. It covers equal shared parental responsibility, sole parental responsibility, and a hybrid sole responsibility model with ongoing information-sharing for long-term decisions. It further specifies where the child lives, the nominated medical clinic, consultation and communication processes by email or SMS, and detailed spend-time schedules during school terms and holidays.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatDOCX

Pages21

Reading Time7 min

AccessFree to download

Equal shared parental responsibility order

Sole parental responsibility order

Live with order

Hybrid sole parental responsibility order

Spend time and communication order

School term weekend arrangements

Holiday and Christmas arrangements

Birthday and Father’s Day arrangements

Suspension of time with the father

Parental Responsibility Orders Please note: These orders are by way of example only. Different judicial officers have different methods of pronouncing orders. Many of these orders are in the alternative (e.g. Mother/Father) depending on the outcome of each particular case. EQUAL SHARED PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY ORDER The parties have equal shared parental responsibility for the child JACK SMITH born 1 January 2010. SOLE PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY ORDER The Mother/Father have sole parental responsibility for the child JACK SMITH born 1 January 2010 (“Jack”). LIVE WITH ORDER Jack live with the Mother/Father. HYBRID SOLE PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY ORDER The Mother/Father have sole parental responsibility for the child JACK SMITH born 1 January 2010 (“Jack” or “the child” [alternatives dependent on judicial officer’s preference]), PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT the Mother/Father keep the Father/Mother informed of significant long term decisions that she/he makes in relation to Jack and actively seeks the Father’s input on such issues. Jack live with the Mother/Father. For the purpose of order 1 hereof:- before any such long term decisions are made in respect of Jack:- the Mother/Father shall advise the Father/Mother by email of her/his proposal relating to Jack; if the Father/Mother wishes to comment on the Mother’s/Father’s proposal (or if the Father/Mother has any proposal he wishes to make on this issue) he/she shall advise the Mother/Father by one email (to the email address from which the Mother/Father sent her/his communication) of his/her views within seven (7) days after the date of the Mother’s/Father’s email; upon receipt of any comment or proposal by the Father/Mother, the Mother/Father shall give consideration to the Father’s/Mother’s views; after the Mother/Father has considered the Father’s/Mother’s comments, she/he shall make a decision and advise the Father/Mother by email or SMS text message of the outcome immediately after making that decision; and if the Father/Mother does not respond by email as provided in order 4(a)(ii) hereof, the Mother/Father shall be entitled to presume that the Father/Mother does not wish to be involved and she/he may decide the issue. The Mother/Father advise the Father/Mother by email of:- a nominated mainstream medical clinic (“the nominated clinic”) at which Jack attends for general medical care and each of the parties shall ensure that Jack attends that clinic for treatment at first instance, save in the case of genuine emergency or impracticability; and any changes to that nominated clinic at least fourteen (14) days prior to such change occurring. The Mother/Father do all such acts and things as may be necessary to ensure that the Father/Mother receives copies of any medical and academic assessments in relation to Jack. Liberty is granted to the Father/Mother to consult with any of Jack’s treating doctors and allied health professionals in order to obtain information about Jack’s health, with such consultations to be at the Father’s/Mother’s own expense and in the absence of Jack. EXAMPLE OF SPEND TIME AND COMMUNICATION ORDER Jack live with the Mother. Jack spend time and communicate with the Father as follows:- during school term, each alternate weekend from the conclusion of school (or 3.30pm) on Thursday [or other day] until the commencement of school (or 9.00am) the following Monday, such time to commence on [date] and to recommence on the first Thursday [or other day] following the commencement of each school term; during school term, each alternate weekend, from the conclusion of school (or 3.30pm) on Thursday until the commencement of school (or 9.00am) the following Friday, such time to commence on [the following week date] and to recommence on the second Thursday [or other day] following the commencement of each school term; for one half of each of the school term holiday periods from the conclusion of school on the last day of school term until 6.00pm on the middle Saturday; for the lon

FAQs

What does an equal shared parental responsibility order require?

The parties have equal shared parental responsibility for the child.

How does the hybrid sole parental responsibility order work?

One parent has sole parental responsibility, but both parents must be kept informed of significant long-term decisions and the other parent’s input must be actively sought.

What is included in the spend time and communication order?

The order sets out when the child lives with a parent, detailed time schedules for school terms and holidays, and rules for when those arrangements are suspended for specified dates such as Christmas and birthdays.

Sep 1, 2026

Upload by William