Study Reveals Rise in Shared Custody Arrangements

A long-running study from America has claimed that there has been a substantial decline in the incidence of family courts awarding sole custody of children to the mother when parents separate, Springer has announced.

According to researcher Maria Cancian, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, courts are instead becoming increasingly likely to award joint custody to both parents.

The study highlights that for the majority of the last century custody was normally awarded to the mother in divorce cases, because they were seen as “better caretakers”, particularly when the children were young.

However, courts are now making decisions based on the principle of “best interest of the child”, and in many cases are deciding that the child’s interests are best served by having both parents fully involved.

"Overall, the trend away from mother-sole custody and toward shared custody is dramatic, representing a substantial change in the living situations of children of divorce over a relatively short period," says Cancian.

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