Child custody and crafting a parenting plan that satisfies all parties and adheres to the child’s best interests in Indiana can be difficult. There are often alternatives that are used to satisfy the situation in as seamless a manner as possible. While most cases will have a custodial parent and a noncustodial parent with visitation time granted to the noncustodial parent, one option that could be effective in certain cases is parallel parenting.
When considering parallel parenting, it is vital to understand how it works and its impact on the parents and child. Having legal advice is always key. With parallel parenting, the plan deviates from the general guidelines used for parenting time. It should be used only in cases where the court concludes that it is a high conflict situation between the parents and the parallel parenting plan is likely to keep the couple from endless dispute and serve the best interests of the child.
Aspects of a case that can lead to it being classified as high conflict include situations where there is litigation, anger, a lack of trust, and inability to amicably communicate about the child. The goal is to minimize the conflict. When there is a parallel parenting plan, the parties will each make decisions regarding the child when he or she is with each parent. The parents will not need to communicate except in limited ways, apart from emergencies. When they communicate, it is generally in written form. The parties are advised to take part in counseling to assist in arranging the details of a parallel parenting plan. It is not always permanent and it can be used to slowly end a supervised parenting plan.
Whether it is a difficult case or not, all parents need to have legal advice as they prepare for a future after divorce. A child’s development can be hindered and the relationships with the parents damaged if there is not an organized and comprehensive plan. A parallel parenting plan is just one strategy to care for a child and adhere to the parents’ needs. With any case, calling for help from a law firm experienced in child custody and parenting plans is key.