I want to take my child on holiday but the other parent won’t agree… What do I do?

Unless you hold a ‘lives with’ order from the Court, you will always need the consent of anyone else who holds parental responsibility to remove a child from the jurisdiction (England and Wales). Parental responsibility can come from a number of sources but typically follows being named on a child’s birth certificate.

We tend to see one of two issues arising when a parent seeks to remove a child from the jurisdiction for a holiday. The first opposition is if the destination is deemed dangerous/unsafe. This can sometimes be the case if the UK government has issued advice not to travel to said destination.

The other, which we more often see, is where parents have had a very difficult and strained separation which leads to them being less cooperative with the other. Stopping the other parent from taking the child on holiday is often done as a means of control. This is a sad approach to take because of course, the child can lose out on the opportunity to go on holiday and experience new things.

If you have attempted to speak with your ex-partner and they are unwilling to agree, we can write to them on your behalf setting out the clear benefits of your child going on holiday with you. If this approach still does not garner a resolution, please be assured we will continue to support you by offering advice regarding an application to Court.

Give yourself plenty of time, leaving it to the last-minute means that your options are restricted. We will do all we can to assist, working with you to ensure you, and most importantly your child, can enjoy a holiday abroad!