Shared Parenting Policy – Leaving it to the Wombles

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Yesterday yet another piece of research hit the headlines supporting that post-separation shared parenting better supports child welfare and child mental health when compared to sole-residence arrangements. The Swedish study looked at the experiences of 4,684 children and concluded that children do better psychologically when post-separation residence arrangements are shared, and both parents substantively involved in their children’s upbringing. Continue reading Shared Parenting Policy – Leaving it to the Wombles

 

A psychologist’s view of post-separation shared parenting

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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

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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 Indirect and Suspension of Contact Case Law Library – the fourth Minnock judgment

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While the judge accepts that as a circuit judge, his decision and opinions in this case do not set precedent above that of senior courts, HHJ Wildblood QC sets out his view regarding the importance of both parents being involved in a child’s life, and that this should only be interfered with in exceptional circumstances and for cogent reasons.

His message to the mother, still missing with the child, is that the court will do everything it can to ensure the child has a continued relationship with both parents. Continue reading Added to our Indirect and Suspension of Contact Case Law Library – the fourth Minnock judgment

 

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

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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