Shared custody is a child custody arrangement after divorce or separation, in which both parents share the responsibility of raising their child(ren), with equal or close to equal parenting time. In shared custody, both parents have shared legal and physical rights to their child, and both parents receive approximately the same amount of time caring for the child in their separate homes. Shared custody is based on the idea that children have the right to and benefit from a close relationship with both their parents, and that no child should be separated from a parent. Shared custody is different from split custody, where some children live primarily with one parent while one or more of their siblings live primarily with their other parent.
Shared custody may often be referred to as joint custody, but important differences exist. Joint custody refers to the joint legal custody of a child, which allows both parents to have equal control over decision-making about their child, including all the aspects of their upbringing and any legal decisions needed. Joint custody is based around shared parenting, which means both parents share equal decision-making responsibilities. Joint custody does not necessarily mean that both parents have equal time with the child.
In shared custody, legal parental rights may or may not be shared, and important decisions regarding the child’s healthcare, education, and/or religion may be left to one of the parents. When legal parental rights are shared, both parents must work together for the best interest of the child. Shared custody arrangements are quite common, as both parents often want to have the right to see their child as much as they can.
