Wetherill and Finchley

This case concerned a dispute between the mother and father regarding the parenting arrangements for their two children, X and Y. The matter came before Judge Brown.

The court was required to determine the nature of parental responsibility, the process for making major long-term decisions concerning the children, and the specific arrangements for the children's living arrangements, time with each parent, and communication. Additionally, the court needed to address issues related to the children's health, education, and international travel.

In its reasoning, the court established equal shared parental responsibility for the children, mandating that both parents consult on all major long-term decisions, including education, religion, health, names, and significant changes to living arrangements. If joint decisions could not be reached, the parties were ordered to consult with a family dispute resolution practitioner. The court then detailed specific time arrangements for the father, including alternate weekends during school terms and a division of school holidays, with specific provisions for Christmas and Easter. The mother was authorised to enrol the children in school and permitted to travel internationally with them once every two years, subject to strict notification requirements. The court also made orders regarding communication between parents and their access to information about the children's health and education, and issued an injunction restraining either parent from taking the children to psychological or counselling appointments without the other's written consent.

The court ordered that the children live with the mother from 14 October 2013. All previous orders were discharged, including the placement of the children's names on the Airport Watch list, and the appointment of an independent children's lawyer was discharged. All extant applications were otherwise dismissed.