Parenting plans—also known as custody agreements or custody and visitation agreements—are proposals submitted by parents for how issues involving children should be handled following a divorce or other proceeding in family court. The court will usually request the parents submit such a document proposing how conservatorship (decision-making), custody or possession, support, and other issues will be handled. The court may adopt some or all of these proposals and include them in the court’s order (divorce decree, child support and custody order), at which point the become legally enforceable.

In many states there is a standard possession order (SPO) that serves as the default terms for such matters, and as a useful starting point for parents who wish to modify it by agreement.

In Georgia, parenting plans are required in all cases involving child custody, as per the Georgia Code. These plans outline how both parents will share responsibilities and care for their children after a divorce or separation. The parenting plan must address legal custody (decision-making authority) and physical custody (where the child will live), as well as a detailed visitation schedule, including holidays and vacations. It should also cover child support obligations, transportation arrangements, and how future modifications will be handled. Georgia law encourages parents to work together to create a parenting plan that is in the best interest of the child. If the parents cannot agree, each parent can submit a separate plan to the court. The court will then decide on the custody arrangements, potentially adopting all or parts of one parent's plan or creating a new one. The standard possession order (SPO) concept is not specifically used in Georgia, but the state does have guidelines to help parents create a workable parenting plan. Once the court approves a parenting plan, it becomes part of the legally binding court order and is enforceable by law.