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 Tennessee, parenting plans are required in cases involving child custody as part of a divorce or family court proceeding. These plans outline how both parents will share responsibilities regarding their children, including decision-making authority (conservatorship), living arrangements (custody), visitation schedules (possession), child support, and other relevant issues. Tennessee law encourages parents to work together to create a parenting plan that serves the best interests of the child. If the parents can agree on a plan, the court will typically approve it, making it a legally enforceable court order. However, if the parents cannot agree, the court will intervene and establish a parenting plan based on the child's best interests. Tennessee does not use a standard possession order (SPO) as a default; instead, each case is evaluated individually, and the parenting plan is tailored to the specific circumstances of the family.