Equal parenting time is a public health issue

Speaking at an online conference organised by World Parents, Professor William Fabricius presents research showing how spending equal time with both parents is vitally important for children in separated families.

Poor relationships with parents are linked to many adverse outcomes later in life, including early mortality.  Family courts can listen to children and protect their relationships with both parents.

“If a child from a divorced family has equal parenting time, they can have relationships with both their parents that are as good as those in intact families,” says Fabricius in this presentation.

As well presenting evidence demonstrating the benefits of equally shared parenting, he outlines findings from Arizona family courts.

Arizona’s child custody law was the first of its kind in the United States to abolish the traditional idea of “visitation” and replace it with a presumption of equal parenting time.

Shared Parenting Scotland suggests that Professor Fabricius is invited to talk at the Shared Parenting Cross Party Group at the Scottish Parliament, as part of consideration of possible changes to the Children (Scotland) Bill.

If Scotland follows Arizona, Belgium and a host of other countries,  many more Scottish children would benefit from shared parenting decisions in Scottish courts.  This means less risk of mental and physical health problems for these children in later life, plus a present-day reduction in worries that one of their parents will disappear from their life..

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