A psychologist’s view of post-separation shared parenting

prowl

An interesting article by Dr. Linda Nielsen, professor of Adolescent and Educational Psychology.

The article provides academic insight into shared parenting legislation and outcomes. Dr Nielson comments that empirical evidence on post-separation shared parenting is not understood or known by many involved in deciding outcomes for children in the United States. Is it so different in the UK?

Why aren’t shared living arrangements the norm when child arrangements orders are made? Section 7 of the draft child arrangements order (CAP04) specifically allows for this…

Read the article

As Dr Nielsen says, there is a plethora of research which supports shared parenting. Some of that research can be downloaded from The Custody Minefield site:

Shared Parenting Research

 

New Site Area – Research Supporting Shared Parenting

sharedparenting

On occasion during family law proceedings and when campaigning, you come across theories and beliefs which are contradicted by a wide body of research.

Some hold a view that while the quality of contact is important for children, the quantity is unimportant. Others have argued that overnights for very young children away from a primary attachment figure is harmful. More daft are theories it harms brain development. Some point to reform in Australia and the introduction of a presumption in shared parenting having been unsuccessful. Something links these beliefs… they’re misinformed and/or just plain wrong.

Today we launch a new section to our site – Shared Parenting Research.

When we argued for the reform of relocation related law, we used child welfare related research to underpin our arguments. Children do best when subject to post-separation shared care arrangements. This doesn’t require a mathematical 50/50 division of time (that’s equal parenting time… the two are different), but it does require the substantial involvement of both parents in the child’s life, and the child having substantial physical time in the care of both parents.

Children’s educational and social development, mental health and physical health are best supported by post-separation shared parenting. The opposite can be harmful! We don’t expect you to take our word for it though… read the research!

 

Added to our case law libraries – W (Children) [2014] EWFC B215

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The case was heard in the Chelmsford Family Court. The Guardian supported an order for shared living arrangements and the mother had interfered with the interim contact arrangements leading to the father making a further application for a reversal of residence. Continue reading Added to our case law libraries – W (Children) [2014] EWFC B215

 

Time Magazine – New Swedish research confirms the benefits of shared parenting

time

In case you missed it, an article in Time Magazine discusses research from the Centre for Health Equity Studies in Stockholm into the positive benefits of post separation shared living arrangements on child well-being. The article is linked below: Continue reading Time Magazine – New Swedish research confirms the benefits of shared parenting