How Legal Custody Affects Summer Camp Enrollment in PA

It’s that time of year again- the time when parents need to place deposits (often nonrefundable) for summer camps and programs. Parents who share legal custody of their children, however, have additional considerations to keep in mind for summer camps.

What is legal custody?

Under Pennsylvania law, legal custody is defined as the right to make major decisions on behalf of a child, including, but not limited to, medical, religious, and educational decisions.

In custody cases, summer camp (whether educational in nature or not) is very frequently included as a major decision made on behalf of a child. Parents can either share legal custody or one parent has sole legal custody and thus has the legal right to make all major decisions for the child. For parents who share legal custody, however, both parents must coordinate and come to a mutual decision on all of the enumerated issues. Therefore, both parents need to have access to the same information regarding the child in question and, ideally, will openly and transparently communicate with one another.

Legal Custody and Camp

In the stress of trying to secure a coveted camp spot, it’s not uncommon for co-parents to be more focused on locking in summer plans than on their custody agreement or Order. In many cases, parents don’t even realize that selecting a camp program might run afoul of Legal Custody.

Given the hectic nature of the camp sign-up season, parents’ different work schedules, and the necessity of summer camps for childcare purposes, it’s often not feasible or possible for parents to adhere to the best practices outlined above. The key to meeting all of the requirements of joint legal custody in any sphere is communication and transparency. Parents should ensure that their first point of contact on any new camp issue is their co-parent. This ensures that, even if the parties cannot attend the same meetings or be available at the exact time of a sign-up window, they are both engaged in the process and have the same information available to them for decision-making purposes.

If you are involved in a custody action, a conversation with one of Obermayer’s family law attorneys can help you navigate the process.

The information contained in this publication should not be construed as legal advice, is not a substitute for legal counsel, and should not be relied on as such. For legal advice or answers to specific questions, please contact one of our attorneys.