Child Custody and Visitation in Virginia: Some Final Thoughts
Child Custody and Visitation in Virginia: Some Final Thoughts. This is the final list of custody and visitation considerations. We’ll move on to other topics, I promise. Before I do, however, I wanted to offer a special thanks to David S. Goldberg, Esquire in Maryland. He is an extremely knowledgable family law attorney and much of this list is drawn from his thoughts on these matters as shared on the listserv he created.
Accessibility to Extended Family
Where are the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins?
Historical involvement of extended family members
Attitude of Each Parent Regarding Visitation
Who is more likely to allow child continued contact with other parent?
Has a party interfered with visitation with the child?
History of visitation disputes
Telephonic, text, email, web-cam visitation
The Age and Sex of Each Child
Number of children
Boys/Girls
Ages
Level of maturity
Stability and Mental Health of Each Child
Willingness to recognize special needs of child
Special needs of child
How can each parent meet special needs
Medications
Munchhausen’s by proxy?
Preservation of Status-Quo
What are the present living arrangement?
How long?
How was living arrangement created, e.g., agreement, court order, desertion by one party, etc.
Each Parent’s Plans for Day-to-Day Child Care
Child care arrangements (babysitters)
Daily living pattern (work hours)
Distance from home/school in event of illness
Each Parents Goals and Values for the child
Career goals
Educational goals
Personal goals
Family goals
Priorities
Religious upbringing
Involvement in civic activities, charities, etc.
Ten Commandments
Potentiality of Maintaining Natural Family Relations
With grandparents
With brothers & sisters (split custody)
How far apart will the parents be living from each other?
Does parent insure that children buy gifts, cards, for child to give to other parent for his/her birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas?
Prior Voluntary Abandonment or Surrender
Did parent leave without children?
How often does he/she visit/contact children?
Which Parent Is Best Able to Meet Non- Financial
Special Needs of Children
Professional Opinions re: Custody
Psychologist
Psychiatrist
LCSW-C
Social Worker
To whom is the child most “bonded” psychologically?
Is parent emotionally dependent on the child?
Is child emotionally dependent on the parent?