Shared custody in figures

How do custody schemes affect children's lives? Is their contact with their parents different if there is shared custody, and do children with extended shared custody cope better or worse than other children with divorced parents. Using the SFI Danish Longitudinal Survey of Children, which is monitoring 6,000 children born in 1995, focus is on how well custody schemes are working when the children are 11 and 15 years old.
The report shows that the majority of divorced parents have a reasonable relationship with each other and that it is very important for children's wellbeing that their parents work well together. It is also important that the adults listen to children's needs so that parental contact can be flexible.
One in five children have experience with shared custody. The majority of children in shared custody schemes are amongst the 11 year-olds. Up to 15 years old, the percentage of children sharing time equally with their mothers and fathers halves; usually because the child wants to change the arrangement.
This survey has been financed by the Egmont Foundation.