As a ‘non-resident parent’ can I volunteer to be a parent helper at my child’s school for school trips etc outwith my court ordered contact time?

Yes. Schools get this wrong sometimes. Both parents retain full parental responsibilities and rights.  An order specifying residence and contact does not  eliminate either from carrying out responsibilities or exercising rights.  Detailed arrangements for residence and contact are just that and do not permit a residential parent to control how the other parent fulfils their responsibilities. Contact is not a privilege, it is a duty to be exercised in the interests of the child.nnIn terms of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act both parents are entitled to their own relationship with the school. In the Guidance to the Act it is explicit that involvement by parents is encouraged. Both parents will have to have PVG clearance before accompanying children, for example, on a school trip. Ideally parents will cooperate on this. If they can’t, be sympathetic to the difficulty of the school in negotiating a solution when both parents want to volunteer. Perhaps propose that parents can alternate as helpers but excluding the non-resident parent without reason is not an option.