Determining child custody and visitation rights all revolve around one question: what’s best for the child?” Here are essential factors the courts consider to figure out which parent is best granted custody of the child. In some cases, both parents can be granted by child custody in a joint arrangement.
Emotional Ties
This considers the depth of emotional connection a parent has for the child. Which parent is more likely to care for the child’s needs? Who knows more about the child’s likes, his interests, his favorite food, cartoons or stories? The parent whose bond with and love for the child is often easily determined since a parent who hardly knows a thing or two about his child can hardly be the right choice.
Daily Care and Guidance
In some situations, both parents can share deep emotional ties with the child but only one of them might be better at providing the child with care and guidance. This could mean one of them might find it easy to relate and express love as well as affection for the child while the other one isn’t as demonstrative. Also, one of them could be a better influence, teaching the child better manners while the other one can’t.
Financial Capability
This is a huge factor in many child custody cases. If one parent barely has the adequate resources to provide for the child’s basic needs, to put him to school and provide him with the medical and educational help he needs, then the one parent with the greater financial capability has the definite advantage over winning in court.
Stable Living Condition
What kind of home environment will the child get? Is it a stable one, asks Divorcenet. The parent who moves around a lot or lives far from the child’s school might have less of an advantage in this round.
Parental Health
Caring for a child means a parent has to be in peak mental and physical condition. Any long-term mental or physical concerns for one parent can be reason enough to grant custody to the other parent.
