After separation, your child still needs reliable access to their GP, medicines and appointments. In England, begin with their NHS care and the information each household needs. Private insurance, if you have it, is a separate policy to check.
England · Checked 17 September 2026
A GP is a general practitioner: the doctor’s practice that usually handles everyday health concerns and referrals. Tell the practice about an address change and ask how it records contact details for a child living in two homes.
Discuss any proposed change of practice before assuming it is needed. Registering outside a practice’s usual area may affect home visits, urgent care and community services. Ask what those arrangements would mean for your child.
Children under 16 are usually registered by a parent or guardian using a separate registration form. An NHS number or the child’s health record can help the practice find existing records, but an NHS number is not required to register.
The practice may ask for evidence that you are the child’s parent or guardian. That is different from a general rule requiring every patient to have identity documents or proof of immigration status: NHS registration guidance says those documents are not required for GP registration.
Parental responsibility is the legal responsibility for a child’s upbringing. It is relevant to decisions about treatment, but it does not mean that every parent automatically has unrestricted access to every record. A child’s age, understanding, confidentiality and the circumstances of care also matter.
Ask the healthcare team to explain who can consent and what information it can share in your child’s situation. A parenting timetable alone does not settle a disagreement about significant treatment.
Read the policy or contact the insurer about where the child is covered, who can arrange treatment and whether separation changes eligibility. Check excesses and exclusions before agreeing to private costs. Do not assume that an employer’s policy or a family policy automatically continues unchanged.
A child away from home may be able to register temporarily with a GP for up to three months. Ask the local practice about the appropriate route. For an urgent health concern, use the appropriate NHS urgent-care service rather than waiting for the next handover.
This guide explains general rules and services. It does not assess your individual case.
Information checked on 17 September 2026.
Based on the original article by Magnus Hjelmér.
"The turning point came when we found the Every Other Week app. There's less fuss and both of us have a better handle on things. It feels so great!”
"Thank you so much for this app, it has finally gotten us to communicate!”
England
Law
After separation, you may still share responsibility for important decisions about your child. In England, this is called parental responsibility. It is separate from how many nights your child spends in each home.
England
Law
A child arrangements plan explains where your child lives, when they spend time with each parent and how everyday care works. In England, parents can make their own agreement when it is safe to do so. If agreement is not possible, the Family Court can decide.
England
Law
If arrangements for your child cannot be agreed, the Family Court can decide where they live, who they spend time with or a specific question such as schooling. Here is what usually happens in England, and what you can prepare at each stage.
Research
Psychologist Maria Farm and journalist Lisa Bjärbo wrote a Swedish-language book about everyday life after separation. In this interview, they explain why they wanted to discuss the questions that keep returning as children grow, from money to routines and new family relationships.
For Children
Living in two homes can feel good sometimes and difficult at other times. You might enjoy time with each parent and still hate packing. You do not have to choose one feeling, and you do not have to make the arrangement work on your own.
Research
The Swedish term växelvis boende describes a child living alternately in each parent’s home. One useful idea in the original discussion by child psychologist Malin Bergström is to look beyond visits: what ordinary care and relationships does the child need to keep?
