===Common Problems Issues with Orders for Access, Parenting Time and Contact===

Sometimes the easiest way to fix a problem with a parenting schedule isn't to apply to court to rigidly enforce the order, but to get creative and thing about ways that the order could be changed to solve the problem. Say an someone's shift ends at 5:00 but the child is supposed to be picked up at 4:00. The answer may not be to enforce the order or agreement says this:, it might to change it.

A common problem occurs when a schedule says only that a person will have "liberal and generous access," or sets an access schedule that is vague. In situations like this, it is easy for the schedule to be frustrated... what is "liberal and generous" access anyway? Who decides what is "liberal" and what is "generous?" The best solution is usually to be a lot more specific about when and how the access visits should occur. Say an order says this: <blockquote>"Sally will have access to parenting time with the child from Friday to Sunday."</blockquote> When exactly does Sally's access parenting time start? When does it end? Who is supposed to pick the child up and drop her off? Is the Sunday the Sunday immediately following the Friday or the Sunday a week later? A better order or agreement would say: <blockquote>"Sally will have the child from Friday at 4:00pm or the end of the school day, whichever is earlier, to the following Sunday at 6:00pm, every other week. Sally will be responsible for picking the child up on Fridays and Bob will be responsible for picking the child up on Sundays."</blockquote>

<blockquote>"Sally will have the child from Friday at 4:00pm or the end of the school day, whichever is earlier, to the following Sunday at 6:00pm, every other week. If the Friday is a statutory holiday or a school professional development date, Sally will have the child from Thursday at 4:00pm. If the Monday following the Sunday is a statutory holiday or a school professional development day, Sally will have the child until Monday at 6:00pm.</blockquote><blockquote>"Sally will be responsible for picking the child up at the beginning of her access to the child and Bob will be responsible for picking the child up at the conclusion of Sally's access to the child.</blockquote><blockquote>"In the event that Sally is unable to care for the child during a scheduled access visit, Sally will give at least two days' notice to Bob.</blockquote><blockquote>"On Fathers' Day, Sally's access to the child will be suspended from 10:00am to 2:00pm, during which time Bob will have the child.</blockquote><blockquote>"Sally's access to the child will be suspended during the summer, winter and spring school holidays, during which periods the following holiday access schedule will prevail..."</blockquote> Where there has been a history of difficulties, the court will generally be quite open to further specifying a parenting schedule. ====Reducing a Parenting Schedule==== Situations where a parenting schedule has been varied to reduce the terms amount of accesstime a person has with a child include circumstances such as when: #the parent and child have moved far enough away as to make the original parenting schedule impossible to comply with;#a mature child over the age of twelve or so has expressed a wish not to see a parent;#a parent has suffered a mental or physical illness, such that the children's health and welfare are at risk in his or her care;#the parents' relationship has worsened to the point that they can no longer cooperate;#one parent has attempted to interfere with the child's relationship with the other parent; or,#the schedule is proving harmful to the mental or physical health and welfare of the child.

====Reducing Access====Cases where an order Where there are allegations involving mental health issues, parenting capacity or agreement for access has been varied the children's wishes, it is often essential to reduce have a psychologist or psychiatrist provide a report which supports the amount allegations. Needs of access include circumstances such as:the child assessments are discussed in more detail in _______ .

the custodial parent has moved far enough away as to make the original access schedule impossible to comply with;where ====Increasing a mature child over the age of twelve or so has expressed a wish not to see the parent;where a non-custodial parent has suffered a mental or physical illness, such that the children's health and welfare are at risk in his or her care;where the parents' relationship has worsened to the point that they can no longer co-operate;where a non-custodial parent has attempted to interfere with the child's relationship with the custodial parent; or,where the access is proving harmful to the mental or physical health and welfare of the child.Where there are allegations involving mental health issues, parenting capacity or the children's wishes, it is often essential to have a psychologist or psychiatrist provide a report which supports the allegations. Section 15 reports are discussed in more detail in the chapter Children > Custody in the discussion about the factors involved in making a custody order.Parenting Schedule====

Of course#a parent was interfering with the child's relationship with the parent, orders for access can also be changed so that more time with the child was required to increase restore the relationship;#the parent with whom the child usually lives was interfering with and unreasonably limiting the amount of time provided to the other parent by an order;#a non-custodial child is older and able to spend more time away from the parent has with whom the childusually lives; or,#a child over the age of eleven or twelve or so has expressed a wish to spend more time with a parent. Circumstances where this has happened include:

where the custodial parent was interfering with the child's relationship with the non-custodial parent, so that more access was required to restore the relationship;where the custodial parent was interfering with and unreasonably limiting the access provided to the other parent in an order or agreement;where a child is older and able to spend more time away from the custodial parent; or,where a child over the age of eleven or twelve or so has expressed a wish to see more of the other parent.These are just a few of the circumstances in which a parent's time with the child can be increased from the amount given in an order or agreement. As long as there has been a change in circumstances since the order or agreement was made and the increased time is in the children's best interests, access arrangements parenting schedules should be adjusted.