Due to the impact of divorce or separation to a child's well-being, many experts believed that shared parenting law can help reduce the increasing cases of parental alienation in a broken family setting. But even though most if not all people are in favor of the shared parenting concept, many legislators were still torn with the idea of amending the current divorce law to make shared parenting an official part of post-separation parenting plans.
Just a week ago, Parent Herald reported about U.S. Senator William Brownsberger's (D-Belmont) stand on shared parenting law, where he explained that the bill may not be the best option for high conflict situations. But according to Leading Women for Shared Parenting co-founder Terry Brennan, the Massachusetts senate should not make the conflict between divorcing parents be the reason why the lawmakers are having a hard time casting their votes.
In an article posted on Beacon Hill Patch, Brennan explained that the shared parenting bill was a "compromise effort" that aims to eradicate domestic violence and parental alienation in a broken family environment. Brennan also responded to Senator Brownsberger's objection, suggesting the use "conflict" between exes to oppose the law.
Furthermore, Brennan stressed that the hostilities between feuding exes can't be used as a "justification" to block shared parenting law. Unfortunately, Brennan also admitted this said conflict is the reason why lawmakers are struggling to pass the shared parenting bill.
"A policy of automatically denying joint physical custody when a couple is labeled as 'high conflict' brings additional drawbacks in addition to denying children the protective buffer of a nurturing relationship," the lengthy statement of 110 world experts about conflict, as Brennan quoted on the article. "It sends the message that generating or sustaining conflict can be an effective strategy to override shared custody."
Meanwhile, shared parenting is currently one of the most controversial issues family law experts are facing. But in the United Kingdom, Stowe Family Law revealed that the English law Children Act 1989 do not give parents any rights when it comes to custody, making the implementation of the shared parenting concept much harder.
The law, however, provides child arrangement plans. But the rights are given to the children, whose best interests are the main focus of the legislation.
In other shared parenting news, psychologist and divorce expert Robert Emery has an advice on how to make children's childhoods better in broken family situations. According to On Point, Emery detailed the ways in his book titled, "Two Homes, One Childhood," which highlights the practice of taking good care of a child's needs following a divorce.
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