Child custody is a significant issue that is often tied to divorces and separations. When Kentucky parents decide that they no longer want to continue their relationships they may need court intervention to help determine how they will jointly care for their kids. When the courts step in and help establish child custody orders for families, they will assess how to serve the best interests of the children whose custody hearings are before them.
“Best interests” is a somewhat vague term and is subjective based on the specific conditions, expectations, and requirements of unique children. Anyone who has spent time around kids may realize that two children from the same household may differ greatly in the types of support that they need from their parents. Therefore, determining a child’s best interests is done on a case-by-case basis.
When a court investigates how to serve a child’s best interests it will assess factual information, such as the child’s age, health, and educational plan. It will look at the child’s parents and how those individuals may either foster or hinder the child’s development in a custodial plan. A child may be asked about their preferences for custody if they are old enough to have an opinion, and histories of abuse or neglect by either or both of the parents may be weighed in the court’s ultimate determination.
These are only some of the considerations that courts may use to decide how children’s custodial plans should be set. Kentucky parents with questions about child custody should seek out legal advice as this post does not offer any legal advice. Family law attorneys can support individual clients with concerns about their upcoming custody hearings.