A Parenting Plan is the document that needs to be filed with your county’s superior court system to establish a custodial parenting schedule. It is the document that spells out when your child or children will be with you, and when they will be with the other parent. Learning how the process of filing a Parenting Plan works can help make the process of establishing a plan less intimidating.
And don’t forget, Parent Trust’s Family Help Line can help you navigate every part of this process! No matter what stage you are in with your Parenting Plan, we’re here to problem solve and help you figure out what will work best for you and your family. Give us a call at 1-800-932-4673 or email us at familyhelpline@parenttrust.org.
How do I create a Parenting Plan?
There are two options for creating and filing a Parenting Plan.
- The parents/legal guardians can agree on the plan and file it jointly.
- Either parent can ask the court to determine the custodial parenting schedule. In this case, one parent submits a plan to the court, and the other parent may choose to submit a response. A judge will hold a hearing and create the final plan.
Parenting Plans are lengthy documents, but they are not complicated. What you are really doing is making a record of all the times when you would like to have your child in your custody, (e.g. every other weekend, mid-winter or spring break, etc.) You can also request a fee waiver when you file your plan with the court.
In Washington State, every court document and form that you need to fill out, is on this website in a printable format: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/issues/family-law/parenting-plans-residential-time >>
You can complete a Parenting Plan online using the Washington Forms Online Interview Program: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/parenting-plan-forms-online>>
The Interview program requires you to create an account and go through the interactive interview. The program asks you questions and uses your answers to fill in a Parenting Plan for you. You can save, edit, email, download, or print the plan at any time. If you do not want to create the plan online, there is also a link to print a blank Parenting Plan packet.
You do not need to address child support as a part of your initial filing, but if you want to file for child support, you can submit that information and the required legal forms along with the Parenting Plan forms – and it will be covered by the same court filing fee.
How do I get help with a Parenting Plan?
If you have any questions about the process or about whether you have all the necessary documents in the proper order, you can work with a Family Court Facilitator. The facilitator’s assistance in reviewing your documents and checking to see that everything is filled in and ordered correctly is invaluable.
You can find the facilitator contact information for your county here: https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_dir/?fa=court_dir.facils >>
A Family Court Facilitator cannot provide legal advice – only a lawyer can do that!
If you are working with a lawyer, the lawyer will file your documents and can appear in court for you. If you want a lawyer, but cannot afford one, you may be able to access free legal advice through your county’s bar association. For example, the King County Bar Association runs free family law clinics. Check this link for more information:
https://www.kcba.org/For-the-Public/Free-Legal-Assistance/Neighborhood-Legal-Clinics >>
Some Washington state counties use a program called CLEAR (run by the Northwest Justice Project) to help people access free family law aid. Your county’s Family Court Facilitator can help you access any free legal aid that you might qualify for.
If your Family Court Facilitator directs you to the CLEAR system to determine if you qualify for free legal aid, use the link below to fill out the online form to request assistance.
https://nwjustice.org/apply-online >>
After the form is submitted, call 1- 888-201-1014 between 9:15 am and 12:15 pm on weekdays to check on the progress of your request.
What if I want more help?
If your parenting situation is complex, or you have concerns that can’t be addressed with a typical Parenting Plan, you can request an attorney directly through Northwest Justice Project’s CLEAR program. Remember, making a request does not guarantee that you will be assigned an attorney. The most efficient way to apply for help from the Northwest Justice Project is to fill out an online application.
https://nwjustice.org/apply-online >>
After you submit your application, call the CLEAR line at 1-888-201-1014. Calling between 9:00 am to 9:15 am is often the best way to get a live person on the phone. Let them know that you have applied online – the person answering the phone should be able to look up your application.
Parent Trust’s Family Help Line can help you navigate every part of this process! No matter what stage you are in with your Parenting Plan, we’re here to problem solve and help you figure out what will work best for you and your family. Give us a call at 1-800-932-4673 or email us at familyhelpline@parenttrust.org.