Shared Residence After Separation: A Review and New Findings from the Netherlands

Abstract

In 2009 the Dutch legislator introduced a law that sought to encourage shared residence. We summarize key findings on shared residence from prior work in the Netherlands, and present new data. Previous research showed that shared residence has increased steadily in recent decades. Our recent estimates revealed that shared residence increased from nearly 20% in 2008 (prereform) to 28% in 2010 (postreform). Official court data showed a decline again to a little over 20% in 2013. We also found shared residence to be less a stable arrangement than mother or father residence. Consistent with earlier studies, parents with shared residence were found to be well‐resourced parents with little conflict and few personal problems. These parents were also more likely to maintain this arrangement, but the instability of shared residence also appeared to be related to practical circumstances and to children's needs. Earlier findings on the consequences of shared residence for child and parent well‐being were mixed, but suggest positive effects.

Shared‐Time Parenting After Separation in Australia: Precursors, Prevalence, and Postreform Patterns

“…33 That evaluation also found that children in shared-time arrangements "fared marginally better" than children in maternal residence-except where mothers reported "safety concerns" (p. 273). This finding is consistent with studies of sharedtime parenting and children's outcomes in the United States (see also Poortman & Van Galaan, 2017;Vanassche et al, 2017).…”

Children's and Parents’ Well‐Being in Joint Physical Custody: A Literature Review

“…Thus, in several Western countries, states, and regions, custody laws were revised in the last couple of years that underline the importance of ongoing co‐parental involvement (e.g., Australia : Smyth & Chisholm, ; Belgium : Vanassche, Sodermans, Declerck, & Matthijs, ; Catalonia, Spain : Solsona & Spijker, ; Italy : De Blasio & Vuri, ; Sweden : Singer, ; The Netherlands : Poortman & van Gaalen, ; UK : Nikolina, ; Wisconsin, USA : Meyer et al., ). Interestingly, none of the jurisdictions in those countries legislated with a 50/50 share in mind.…”

“…Also in other countries, the prevalence of joint physical custody arrangements in separated or divorced families has increased in the last couple of years. They make up to about 40% in Belgium (Vanassche et al., , p. 549) and Sweden (Bergström et al., ; p. 769), about 30% in Norway (Kitterød & Wiik, , p. 561), about 20% in Denmark (Spruijt & Duindam, , p. 66), 5% (Ontario) to 40% (Quebec) in Canada (Bala et al., , p. 520), 16% in Australia (Smyth & Chisholm, ; p. 594), 22% in the Netherlands (Poortman & van Gaalen, , p. 533), 15% in Spain—again with large variations between different regions (Solsona & Spijker, , p. 302), and 12% in the UK (Harris‐Short, , p. 258). Although JPC arrangements have increased during recent decades in all of these countries, it seems that they have now plateaued in some of them (e.g., Wisconsin, Australia, and the Netherlands).…”

Public Attitudes Toward Shared Custody: The Czech Republic

“…Although most studies (Poortman and van Gaalen 2017;Bauserman 2002;Fehlberg et al 2011;Cancian et al 2014) argue that shared custody preference goes hand in hand with higher social and economic status; this association does not seem to occur in relation to attitude. Neither educational level nor family income plays a role in the attitude toward shared custody.…”