Ex partners rights with child's nursery

[AKP79]

Hi

I am separated from my ex partner. We have a 3 year old son who is in full time nursery because I work full time. I have been a single mum since he was 3 months old and I am the primary carer. My son started at the nursery when he was 7 months old and it was the only nursery in the area that took babies for full days full time rather than term time.

We have a court order in place which details that I am the primary caregiver and that our child spends alternate weekends with his father and half of all school holidays (frustrating because as I say he is in a full time nursery so I have to continue paying when he is not there).

The nursery contract is with me and I have made all the monthly payments since our son was 7 months (my ex contributes £20 per week maintenance).

I have given the nursery permission to add my ex to emails so that he gets nursery news updates and he can also call to get updates on how our son is doing there or go in and see his progress books.

My question is, as the contract is in my name should he be able to discuss anything other than the above with them? Is he able to cancel days etc? i have asked him to contribute to nursery when our son is at his house and he has recently called to ask that my son is moved to a term time contract. Also they have a condition in place that if you advise them 4 weeks in advance that children's days for the following month can be changed, but this is at the risk of losing that childs place the following month if there is a waiting list etc. He has said that he will call and do this.

Can he do this? I'm thinking not, but he's a slippery character that seems to be able to get away with a lot!

Thanks

The contract is between you and the nursery. He can't therefore change it. Better to remind them of that if you're unsure they're going to ignore him.

Thank you for clarifying. It would completely mess my care plan up for our son if he could start to get involved with changing dates and times. Not to mention having an impact on our son's routine etc.

If he starts trying to remove your son from nursery you'd have to go back to court for a prohibited steps order.

Do you mean if he just turned up and took him out without agreement? He lives 2 hours away, so I would like to think he wouldn't and I don't think nursery would let him. But I suppose anything is possible.

It must cost you a fortune paying for full time nursery during school holidays.

Assuming during the weeks he's with his dad that he doesn't use the nursery- so why is he trying to change the days, what reason does he have... Surely it makes no difference to him what days he goes when he is with you? Or is he available to look after him whilst you have him in full time nursery and he wants that to happen instead?

If his dad already has him for 50% of school holidays couldn't you jig arrangements so you take some annual leave and he has him some extra time and then you could have him at a term time only nursery.