Parents may be given custody of their child after a divorce. Child custody can give parents legal and physical custody of their child. Legal custody means a parent can make decisions on behalf of their child, such as their education and medical needs. Physical custody means a child lives with a parent, who is responsible for providing for their child’s daily needs (food, shelter, clothing, etc.).
There are several child custody arrangements available to parents. When deciding what is best for their child, parents may need to ask a few questions about their arrangement options. Here is what you should know:
Do you want to share custody of your child?
Parents may have joint custody of their child. Joint custody means that both parents have some amount of legal and physical custody of their child. Co-parents often need to continue working together after a divorce to decide how to raise their child. This may mean that parents communicate daily to help ensure they meet their child’s needs.
Co-parents may also share legal custody, which is decided by a custody schedule. A custody schedule allows parents to rotate days when their child lives with them. Parents may create a custody schedule around their work or school schedule. This may mean that parents have their child every other day or every other week, for example.
Do you want to be mainly responsible for your child?
A parent may want to seek sole custody of their child. This means that they have both legal and physical custody of their child. The other parent may be given some or no visitation time with their child. This option is preferable for parents who can show that the other parent is not fit to raise their child, such as evidence of neglect or disinterest in raising their child.
Parents can learn more about their child custody options by seeking legal guidance.