QLD Consent Orders and Part-Time Jobs for Teenagers

[Trinch13]

Consent Orders are in place and it states the father has the children 14 and 11 every second weekend. Currently, the children are living with the mother.

My question is, if the 14-year-old secures a Part-Time job after school and weekends and can't visit father every second weekend, is the mother then considered to be "not" following Consent Orders? Also, how do you change Consent Orders when a child turns 15 years of age to reflect that they visit the other parent according to the child's wishes?

 

[sammy01]

I reckon the right thing to do is for the kid to say they can't work every second weekend because of family commitments... Or have a chat with dad and see if a compromise can't be made... If that doesn't work, then book mediation to try and resolve with assistance from a mediator.

If that doesn't work, then you could consider not complying with the orders. If you did that then the father would have to make the court application and might not be successful... The 11 year old should still be going to dad's.

 

[AllForHer]

Why can't the father take the child to his part-time job?

 

[Trinch13]

Because father lives 45 minutes away and refuses to drive to her workplace to collect her.

 

[AllForHer]

The child is 14. Her opinion would be given significant weight by the court. If you contravened and he brought an application, there's just as good a chance as not that the 14-year-old would be granted the freedom to see her father in accordance with her wishes.

Organise mediation. Consider child-inclusive mediation, so the child's views about the situation can be heard and considered in negotiations.