The Minister of Justice, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, announced this week something that many parents expected to hear: there will be a reform in the Civil Code to equate shared custody to single parent in cases of separation or divorce.
Currently, 81% of custodians are granted to the mother, while only 12% of custodians are shared. It was granted when there was an agreement between the parents, or if one of them requested it "exceptionally." What is intended is to stop being exceptional, and raises a principle of parental equality, which means a big step towards shared custody.
When parents decide to stop living under the same roof, the issue of child custody is undoubtedly one of the most thorny and bleeding.
In most sentences, custody is granted to women. It is established that it will be the mother who is in charge of the child most of the time, with visits to the father, using the family home and with an alimony.
However, many men feel that they are restricting their freedom to be parents and spend more time with their children. They believe that they are deprived of a daily life to which they are entitled.
Many other couples, on the other hand, manage to reach a consensus of mutual agreement on what is best for the child.
For some, although it is an advance, the reform falls short. Shared custody will not become the prime model when deciding, which is what was intended from many sectors.
According to the Minister, imposing preferential shared custody could be as unfair to the interests of the child as is single-parent custody.
The judges may from the reform request shared custody even when neither father nor mother request it.
After all, what matters is the welfare of the children and I think this big step towards shared custody It can benefit you in many cases. What do you think, is the reform positive?
