Two-week pattern studio
Compare five common parenting patterns
Choose a pattern or filter by a practical feature. Every view uses the same repeating fourteen-night frame so the trade-offs remain comparable.
2โ2โ3 schedule
What the pattern changesFrequent handovers keep stretches short, but the weekday pattern rotates between homes.
This compares schedule mechanics only. It does not recommend what is best for a child or interpret an order, agreement, support calculation or local law.
How to read the comparison
A 50/50 label tells you how the nights add up. It does not tell you what the fortnight feels like for a child. The tool shows four things for each pattern.
- Overnight split. How many of the 14 nights are spent at each home.
- Handovers. How many times the child moves between homes in two weeks.
- Longest stretch. The most nights in a row at either home.
- Weekday rhythm. Whether the same parent usually has the same school nights.
Look at all four together. Two schedules can share the same split and still ask very different things of a child.
Equal time can feel very different
The 2โ2โ3, 2โ2โ5โ5, alternating weeks and 3โ4โ4โ3 patterns all split the 14 nights evenly. The way they get there is not the same.
A 2โ2โ3 pattern keeps stretches short, with no more than three nights away from either parent. The cost is six handovers every two weeks, and weekdays swap each week.
Alternating weeks sit at the other end. There are only two handovers in the fortnight. The child also spends seven nights in a row away from each home.
The other two patterns fall in between. A younger child who struggles with long gaps and an older child with a busy school week may need very different answers.
What UK law says about equal time
In England and Wales, there is no rule that children should split their time equally.
The Children Act 1989 does say a court should presume that each parent being involved in a child's life is good for the child. That applies unless there is evidence the involvement would put the child at risk.
But the Act is clear about what involvement means. It can be direct or indirect, and it does not mean any particular division of the child's time.
So a court looks at what works for your child, not at a percentage. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own family law. Check the rules where you live.
How shared nights change child maintenance
If you use the Child Maintenance Service, overnight stays can change what the paying parent pays. GOV.UK calls this shared care.
This applies if the paying parent is on the basic or reduced rate. The weekly amount for each child goes down by band.
| Nights a year with the paying parent | Reduction for each child |
|---|---|
| 52 to 103 | 14.29% |
| 104 to 155 | 28.57% |
| 156 to 174 | 42.86% |
| 175 or more | 50%, plus a further ยฃ7 a week |
The every other weekend pattern in this tool gives three nights in every 14. Over a year that is roughly 78 nights. The equal patterns give about 182.
The nights counted are the ones in a court order or agreed between you. If you agree on at least 52 nights but not the exact number, the service assumes 52. Different rules apply to the flat rate. GOV.UK explains those.
What the pattern leaves out
A two-week pattern is only one part of a parenting plan. A workable plan usually also covers:
- exact times and places for each handover
- school holidays, half terms and Christmas
- birthdays, special days and travel
- who does the driving
- how much notice to give for a change
- what happens when plans clash
Use the filters as a starting point for that conversation, not as an answer. They sort patterns by what they do, not by what suits your child.
The schedule is the plan. What happens is the record
Once a pattern is agreed, real life drifts from it. A handover runs late. A weekend gets swapped. Make-up time is offered by text and never happens.
Keep the agreed schedule separate from a dated note of what actually happened. If the arrangement is ever questioned, that second record is the one people will ask for. Casewell's parenting-time log is built for that job.
Which custody schedule is best for my child?
This tool cannot tell you that. The right pattern depends on your child's age and needs, the distance between homes, school and work, and any order or agreement already in place. Use the comparison to work out what to ask, then talk it through with the other parent or an adviser.
Do UK courts start from 50/50 custody?
No. In England and Wales, the Children Act 1989 presumes that each parent's involvement is good for a child unless it would put them at risk. It also says involvement does not mean any particular division of time. The court decides what arrangement suits the child.
How many nights reduce child maintenance?
With the Child Maintenance Service, the basic and reduced rates go down once a child stays at least 52 nights a year with the paying parent. The reduction rises at 104, 156 and 175 nights. At 175 nights or more it is 50% plus a further ยฃ7 a week for each child.
Does a 50/50 schedule always mean seven nights each?
In this two-week tool, equal patterns show seven nights at each home. Over a year, holidays and swaps can change the real count. For child maintenance, what counts is the number of nights in your court order or agreement.
Is my schedule selection sent to Casewell?
No. The comparison runs in your browser and nothing you select is uploaded. If you later use Casewell, you decide what to record there.
Sources
Child maintenance figures come from GOV.UK and apply to the Child Maintenance Service. The law on equal time described here applies in England and Wales. This tool is a planning aid, not legal advice.