Use this sheet before a conversation with a family lawyer, mediator, parenting coordinator or other relevant professional. Ask their office what they need and how to send it. Their instructions and your circumstances determine what is appropriate.
Confirm the practical details
- Appointment date, time and time zone: ____________________
- In-person location or video/phone details: ____________________
- Who will attend, and any access or communication needs: ____________________
- Office instructions, requested documents and secure delivery route checked.
State the purpose
The main practical issue I want to discuss: ____________________
The questions I want answered:
- ____________________
- ____________________
- ____________________
Any deadline I have been given, and where it came from: ____________________
Organise the relevant material
- Bring the documents the professional requested, rather than every file you have.
- Use clear file names and note the dates covered.
- Prepare a short chronology if useful: date, factual event and original source reference.
- Mark gaps or uncertainty. Check a summary against its sources before relying on it.
- Keep any current plan, order or professional instructions available if requested.
- Decide what you will share, with whom and through which secure channel. Confirm any access you grant.
During and after the appointment
- Ask about anything you do not understand.
- Confirm the next action, who is responsible and any deadline.
- Ask which additional information would be useful.
- Keep your appointment notes and follow-up tasks somewhere findable.
| Next action | Person responsible | Date or deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ |
| ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ | ____________________ |
Fictional example: “I want to discuss how to organise the next school holiday's practical details. My questions are what information would help this conversation, which dates need confirmation, and who should confirm the next step.” This is an organisational example, not advice about a family arrangement.
Custody Companion can help keep selected schedules, notes and supporting files together. A professional decides what information is relevant to their work. Explore the product or create a free account.
Prepared by Custody Companion. Updated October 14, 2026. General organisation information; not legal advice. This is not a document-filing checklist or a substitute for advice about rights, court requirements, strategy or safety.