How Much Child Contact After Divorce is Normal

In "How much contact is ‘normal’?" (Cambridge Family Law Practice, Aug 8, 2012) the family lawyers discuss often asked questions regarding the amount of contact a parent should have with their children when no longer living with them full-time. According to specialist family lawyers:

• questions regarding child contact is asked by both the parents moving out and the parents who remains with the children
• many primary-caring parents want to ensure that the children retain a close relationship with the other parent, but seek guidance on other people's arrangements 
• important to recognise that every family is unique and there is no such things as “normal”
• children are often the most important factor in divorce or separation
• the feeling of guilt and a sense of having abandoned the children can be overwhelming
• rational thinking can be hard to come by due to of the levels of emotion
• both parents must do their best to focus on what is right for the children
• both parents must put their own needs for validation or security to one side
• children’s best interests dictate any order that a court would impose, with the court looking at all of the circumstances of the case to establish what routine would be best for the children
• as a basic starting point, the court considers it almost always in the best interests of the children to have a continuing relationship with both parents after separation
• post-separation arrangements must consider the realities of school, childcare, work obligations, sports/hobbies, etc the logistical complexities this creates
• the most common outcome from the court is a ruling that the children will live primarily with one parent and spend time with the parent during set times
• the amount of time depends on many factors, including the age of the children 
• it is also possible for there to be “shared residence” where the children’s time is still divided between the parents
• in the UK, the terms “residence” and “contact” have replaced “child custody” and “access” and will become “child arrangements order” in order to encourage more creative thinking about what arrangements are in children’s best interests
• matters relating to children on separation depend overwhelmingly on the circumstances of the particular family.