After the Court Order: Sample Letters Part 2

16 Jan 2025

[Your address]

Dear [name],

I am writing to inform you that I am taking our children [names of children] on holiday from [date] to [date]. We are going to [place - town and country] with [names of anyone else going]. During this holiday we will be [activity e.g. sightseeing].

I will provide you with a full address and contact number of our hotel along with flight / ferry times before we go.

This will not affect our current contact arrangements.*

This will obviously affect our current contact arrangements. I suggest that to make up for the time you would miss with our children during this period, you have the opportunity of an extra contact time of [number of days / evenings missed]. I am happy to arrange for this one-off addition to your contact at a mutually convenient time within 6 weeks of our return from holiday.*

If you wish to discuss my holiday arrangements, please contact me within the next 14 days. Otherwise I will assume that you have no objections to my arrangements.

Kind regards,

[signature]
[your name]

16 Jan 2025

[Your address]

Dear [name],

I am writing to inform you that I wish to take our children [names of children] on holiday from [date] to [date]. We would be going to [place - town and country] with [names of anyone else going]. During this holiday we would be [activity e.g. sightseeing].

I would provide you with a full address and contact number of our hotel along with flight / ferry times before we go.

This will not affect our current contact arrangements.*

This will obviously affect our current contact arrangements. I suggest that to make up for the time you would miss with our children during this period, you have the opportunity of an extra contact time of [number of days / evenings missed]. I am happy to arrange for this one-off addition to your contact at a mutually convenient time within 6 weeks of our return from holiday.*

As you have parental responsibility, under s.13 Children Act 1989 I need your consent to take our children out of the UK. I would be grateful if you could confirm you give your consent for this holiday in writing to the above address, or via email to [your email] within the next 14 days so that I can go ahead and finalise my booking.

If you wish to discuss my holiday arrangements, please contact me and I will be happy to provide you with further information.

Kind regards,

[signature]
[your name]

16 Jan 2025

[Your address]

Dear [name],

I understand that you wish to take our children abroad on holiday on [date] to [date]. Please can you provide me with specific details of where you are proposing to go.

I have some concerns about this holiday:a) [first concern - e.g. jet skiing is a dangerous activity]
b) [second concern - e.g. concerned children won't be properly supervised in a foreign culture where they don't speak the language]

Please could you contact me via email to [your email] or phone to [your phone number] within the next 14 days to discuss this issue?

Kind regards,

[signature]
[your name]

16 Jan 2025

[Your address]

Dear [name],

I understand that you wish to take our children abroad on holiday on [date] to [date]. Please can you provide me with specific details of where you are proposing to go.

I have some concerns about this holiday:

a) [first concern - e.g. jet skiing is a dangerous activity]
b) [second concern - e.g. proposed holiday just before child's school exams when should be revising]

Under s.13 Children Act 1989, you need my written consent (as a person with parental responsibility) to take our children out of the UK. It is a criminal offence under s.1 Child Abduction Act 1984 to take them abroad without my consent.

I am not saying that I will not give my consent at this stage, but I do have some concerns that I would like to discuss. Please could you contact me via email to [your email] or phone to [your phone number] within the next 14 days to discuss this issue?

Kind regards,

[signature]
[your name]

16 Jan 2025

[your address]

Dear [name],

I am aware that you are intending to emigrate to [country outside the UK] with our children [names of children].

I have some concerns about this proposed move:*

a) Our children are settled here in good schools and it will unsettle their education
b) It is during exam-time for [child's name] and so this is an inappropriate time for their education to be unsettled
c) Moving abroad would mean that I would not be able to see our children as frequently and would move them away from the rest of their family in the UK
d) Moving abroad at such a young age would mean that they effectively have no relationship with me as their father

Despite you having a residence order, you still need my written permission (under s.13 Children Act 1989) to emigrate as I have parental responsibility for the children. If you attempt to emigrate without my written consent, you will commit a criminal offence under s.4 Child Abduction Act 1984 and I will apply to court for the children to be returned to the UK.

I would prefer to discuss this matter with you to try to resolve issues, rather than refer the matter to court. Please can you contact me via email at [your email address] to arrange a mutually convenient time to discuss this issue?

Kind regards,

[signature]
[your name]