Ex not taking any time off at school holidays - where do i stand?

[Chocolate99]

Ex and I divorced last year and for the most part are very amicable until it comes to taking time off. He is in the police and works 7 different shifts over 5 weeks so invariably his time off is ridiculous and mid week when child at school and as a result has child 10 nights over 5 weeks, mostly evenings not full days. Child was poorly today and as usual he refused to take a day off work, always falls to me.

For next year he has only committed to taking 1 week off during school holidays, claiming he cant get anymore off. was exactly the same this year only 1 week. He gets way more holidays than me and banks time so has plenty at his disposal. he refuses to take any more time off or to assist with costs of childcare for those 13 weeks? of school holidays. Is there anyway a court can order him to take 50% responsibility for the school holidays or order him to pay for childcare if he is not taking any time off?

we had consent order done at the time to cover maintenance etc but did not cover this.

thanks x

[Newbrummie]

I'm getting this written into my consent order for sure, they take the bloody piss don't they ?

[Sistedtwister]

He doesn't have to take the time off, however he should be responsible for their care for 7.5 weeks. It's up to him how he works that out.

[ivykaty44]

I would write to him explaining that he will need to take responsibility for part of the school holidays, you can't insist he takes annual leave but responsibility as he can the arrange child care if he doesn't want to spend time with the dc.

Let him know that if this can't be arranged amicably then you will have to take this further.
Give him a time length to respond

Then start the proceedings to take it back to have reassessed but keep writing to try to come to some agreement.

Suggest mediation, make suggestions

All in writing every time copied and kept

Surely he will step up to rather than have an embarrassed court case

[Liberated71]

I had school hols written into my consent order but it fell by the wayside and solicitor said I'd have to go to court and even then enforcing contact would be nigh on impossible. All I could do was renegotiate maintenance as his number of days dropped. He doesn't even pay that now.