Rayner and Carlton

This matter concerned orders made by Judge Boyle in relation to the parental responsibility, living arrangements, and time spent with a child, X. The dispute between the parents, the father and the mother, necessitated the court's intervention to establish clear guidelines for their future interactions concerning X.

The court was required to determine the extent of parental responsibility for major long-term issues, specifically education and health, and to establish a regime for the child's living arrangements and time spent with each parent. Further issues included the facilitation of communication between the parents and with the child, and the attendance of the father and his partner at a parenting course or therapy.

Judge Boyle ordered that the father have sole parental responsibility for X in relation to all major long-term issues, including education and health, subject to specific conditions requiring written consultation and genuine efforts to reach joint decisions with the mother. If agreement could not be reached on these issues, the father was to make the final decision and advise the mother in writing. The child was ordered to live with the father, and specific arrangements were set out for the child's time spent with the mother during school terms and holidays, including Christmas. The court also made orders regarding communication between the parents and with the child, the attendance of the father's partner at changeovers, and the attendance of the father and his partner at a parenting course or family therapy.