| When parents who have children with special needs | | | | handle. A mother and father must determine the living |
| divorce or separate, then need to make sure that their | | | | situation for the child so that both parents are helping |
| parenting plan and custody agreement are | | | | with the care. This can be done by establishing a |
| personalized to meet those needs. Here is a parenting | | | | thorough visitation schedule for special needs children |
| plan template for parents in this situation. Separated | | | | that gives both parents time with the children. If the |
| and divorced parents who have children with special | | | | child lives primarily with one parent and it isn't feasible |
| needs have more responsibility towards their parenting | | | | to have visitation with the other parent, the mother and |
| plan and custody agreement. Because a child with | | | | father should develop a schedule where the primary |
| special needs generally requires more care, it is | | | | caretaker has breaks. This can happen when the |
| essential that the mother and father develop a plan | | | | other parent comes to the child's house to babysit, or |
| that meets the extra needs of the child. Here is a | | | | by the other parent taking the child for extended |
| special needs parenting plan template for parents who | | | | periods of time during the year. |
| need to deal with these issues. | | | | Another part of the template for parents to consider is |
| To begin with, it is important to understand the role of | | | | the medical care and insurance for the child. Special |
| the parenting plan in a custody situation. Parenting plans | | | | needs children may need extra medical care, therapy, |
| are the documents that the parents make that cover | | | | counseling, etc. The parents should specify who treats |
| all of the information about how the parents will | | | | the child, and they need to decide how they will share |
| continue to care for the children after the parents are | | | | the responsibility to make decisions for the child. The |
| separated. The plan should cover how the parents will | | | | mother and father must also look at their insurance |
| physically, mentally, and emotionally care for the | | | | and determine how they will handle the medical |
| children and should include information about where the | | | | expenses for the children. |
| children live, who makes decisions for the child, etc. | | | | If the parents need to have child care for their special |
| When parents have children with special needs, the | | | | needs child, they must ensure that the person is |
| plan needs to be tailored to meet those needs. There | | | | qualified to give the needed care. The mother and |
| are some extra factors that parents should consider | | | | father should agree on the provider and should both |
| as they make the plan, especially because these | | | | feel confident that the child's needs will be met. |
| children can have substantial needs. When dealing with | | | | By following this parenting plan template, parents who |
| this situation, the mother and father should pay | | | | have special needs children will be able to make a plan |
| considerable attention to the living circumstances of | | | | that works for their situation. The parents should also |
| the child, medical care and insurance, and child care. | | | | consider the other important factors that influence their |
| Providing care for a special needs child can be | | | | circumstances. If the parents prepare, they can make |
| demanding, and it may be too much for one parent to | | | | a plan that will work for them. |