Are you a lawyer or mother considering joint physical custody for your family? Joint physical custody involves two parents having the equal legal right and responsibility to make decisions about their children’s upbringing. Sharing this level of parenting has both advantages, such as improved relationships with both parents, and disadvantages including potential disruption in scheduling due to conflicting commitments between households.
In this blog post, we’re tackling all things about joint physical custody: what is defined by law, who can benefit from it, and common challenges that arise when engaging in this type of child raising style. Read on to learn more!
When Joint Physical Custody Is Effective?
Joint physical custody works well when:
- Parents agree that it is in their child’s best interests.
- Parents can make decisions together and cooperate relatively effectively.
- Parents live somewhat near together, thus a shared arrangement is logistically feasible.
- Both parents desire to be heavily involved in their children’s upbringing.
- There have been no reports of child abuse, domestic violence, or kidnapping.
Almost any parental time schedule can be accommodated by joint physical custody. If your child needs to live with one parent exclusively, you can give the other parent additional time via midweek visits, prolonged weekends, longer holiday breaks, and school break visits. The other parent can also communicate with the child by phone, email, texting, visiting the child’s events and activities, and so on.
Children often do better when both parents are actively involved in their lives. It will benefit your child if you and the other parent can make joint physical custody work.
Do the Courts Prefer Joint Physical Custody Arrangements?
“Is joint custody good for the child?” many parents question. Most judges prefer joint custody arrangements because they allow both parents to be involved in their child’s life and education.
However, in some cases, a joint custody arrangement is not in the best interests of the kid. A judge, for example, is unlikely to grant shared physical custody to parents who live hundreds of miles apart and cannot get along. A judge is also unlikely to grant a parent with a history of domestic abuse joint legal custody. The circumstances of your family will determine if shared custody is appropriate in your case.
What Are the Advantages of Joint Physical Custody?
One of the primary advantages of joint physical custody is that a child grows up with the influence of both parents. Joint legal custody parents make mutual decisions for their child’s life and play an important role in the child’s upbringing.
A child provides common ground for some divorced parents. Joint custody arrangements can assist parents in learning to co-parent and reducing conflict in their relationship. A joint custody arrangement also relieves one parent of the strain. Both parents have less stress and responsibility when they share custody. Raising a child and making crucial decisions on one’s own is difficult; dual custody distributes the burden.
What Are the Disadvantages of Joint Physical Custody?
Some parents wonder, “Is joint physical custody beneficial to the child?” One of the most significant drawbacks of joint custody is how difficult it is for children to transfer from one parent’s home to the other. Some children struggle to adjust to the back and forth of shared custody. It might be especially difficult for small children who seek consistency.
Joint child custody is not appropriate for every divorced marriage. For some couples, joint custody adds to the number of concerns that parents must contend with. Unfortunately, with joint child custody, a kid’s needs might frequently go neglected. Joint custody entails joint responsibility, and parents who collaborate can weigh the benefits and drawbacks of a 50/50 parenting agreement.
FAQs
What is the most typical kind of joint physical custody?
The 2-2-3 plan and 2-2-5 plan are the most prevalent joint custody agreements. Both entail spending alternating days with either parent. The alternating week arrangement, in which the child spends one week with one parent and the next with the other, is also widespread.
What are the benefits of shared parenting?
Shared parenting allows both parents to cultivate their relationships with their children, which aids in the development of emotionally healthy children. It also provides an opportunity for co parents to collaborate for the sake of their children.
In the case of joint physical custody, who is entitled to child support?
The government has mandated that tax credits in shared custody arrangements cannot be split. This means that only one person can file a claim for each kid, and neither parent can file a claim for the same child.
What happens to Child Benefit when there is joint physical custody?
If you share custody of a kid, the person with main responsibility for that child is usually eligible to claim Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, or the Universal Credit child element.
Conclusion
Though joint physical custody has its advantages, it also has disadvantages that should be considered before making a decision. One advantage is that both parents have an opportunity to play an active role in their child’s life and can provide support when needed. However, a disadvantage is that this type of arrangement can often be disruptive to the child’s schooling and social life. It is important to take all factors into consideration before finalizing a custody agreement. Let’s join hands in condemning moral acts like choosing between one parent or the other and work together towards solutions that minimize the negative effects on children caught in these situations.
