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 Nebraska, parenting plans are a crucial component of family law proceedings involving children. These plans outline how divorced or separated parents will manage conservatorship (decision-making authority), custody, visitation, child support, and other child-related issues. Nebraska law encourages parents to work together to create a parenting plan that serves the best interests of their children. If the parents can agree on a plan, the court will typically review it to ensure it meets legal standards and the child's best interests before incorporating it into a final court order, such as a divorce decree or custody order, making it legally enforceable. In cases where parents cannot agree, the court may order mediation or create its own plan based on statutory guidelines and the child's needs. Nebraska does not have a standard possession order (SPO) like some other states, but the state's parenting act provides a framework for creating parenting plans that can help parents and courts establish suitable arrangements for child custody and visitation.