Now you’ve finished your personal record sheet you should be ready to start a successful discussion with the other parent.
Before you arrange a meeting ask
the other parent to complete their own personal record form to compare ideas and communicate in a
way that suits you both.
Then it’s time to arrange a meeting. Once you’ve agreed how, where and when you’re going to discuss child maintenance, you’ve already made the first step to safeguarding your child’s future. You might find it useful to use both your personal record sheets in your discussions too, to prompt the conversation and keep your thoughts organised.
And remember to put the welfare of your child first.
Useful resources to help your discussion
There's plenty of information on this website including:
- more information on what your options are
- a list of useful organisations who could help you
- an online maintenance calculator
- expenditure calculation sheets to help you think about all the costs you will need to take into account.
You will find lots of other information in our useful organisations section, or from your local Citizens Advice office or public library.
Need more help?
When some parents work through this guide, they realise they don’t feel ready for a full discussion. If you feel like this, you haven’t wasted your time. Instead, give the Options service a call and we’ll talk you through the other options available to you.
You can always get in contact with us at any stage of this process. You can also ask the other parent to talk to us safe in the knowledge that we will treat their questions with complete confidence.
Don't forget that circumstances change too, so any arrangements you make might only work well for a while. You could decide to review things or negotiate new arrangements after a certain date, or when your circumstances change.
