Shared Parenting: Supporting Children’s Well-Being After Separation
When parents separate, research overwhelmingly supports shared parenting as the best arrangement for children. This means that children spend substantial time with both parents, enjoying two homes, and benefiting from the active involvement of both parents in their upbringing and development.
What Does Shared Parenting Look Like?
Shared parenting ensures that children have meaningful, balanced relationships with both parents. In practice, it means:
- Spending quality time with each parent, including ordinary daily activities and fun moments.
- Living and thriving in two homes—eating, sleeping, studying, and playing in each.
- Both parents listening to and talking with their children.
- Sharing major decisions about the children’s lives, such as education, health, and extracurricular activities.
- Parents being involved in the children’s schools, sports, music, and other hobbies.
- Staying informed about the children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual health.
- Maintaining relationships with extended family, including grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and family friends.
Challenges to Shared Parenting
While shared parenting is ideal for children, it may not always be fully practical due to:
- Long distances between the parents' homes.
- Demanding work schedules or financial constraints.
- Health issues affecting one or both parents.
However, even when full shared parenting is not feasible, implementing as much of the shared parenting model as possible is crucial for children’s emotional, educational, and developmental well-being.
Why Shared Parenting is Important
Shared parenting after separation ensures children remain connected with both parents, which:
- Helps them adapt to family changes and thrive in their new circumstances.
- Reduces the emotional trauma often caused by family break-ups.
- Provides continued love, stability, and interaction with both parents and extended families.
- Supports their long-term health, welfare, and development by keeping both parents directly involved in their lives.
Achieving Shared Parenting Through Family Law
If shared parenting aligns with your family’s circumstances, our family law specialists can support you in achieving this arrangement. As McKenzie Friends, we will provide guidance and help you navigate the legal process, ensuring the best opportunity for success for you and your children.
To start, you may need to apply for a Child Arrangements Order using a C100 Form. For step-by-step support, check out our free guide to completing Form C100.
Conclusion
Shared parenting is the ideal solution for children after separation, enabling them to thrive through meaningful relationships with both parents and their extended families. By working together and prioritising the well-being of the children, separated parents can create a stable, supportive environment that fosters their growth and happiness.