Category: Press Releases

National Parents Organization | Press Release

October 19, 2017

Three judges in the Western District of Missouri Court of Appeals recently ruled in violation of a new Missouri statute. This new law clearly directs family courts to protect children in instances of divorce by providing them with as close to equal time as possible with mom and dad.

National Parents Organization calls the attention of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, the Missouri General Assembly, and the people of Missouri to news that this important law has been ignored in a recent decision.

Earlier this month, the Court issued its decision in child custody case King v King, upholding the lower court decision to limit a fit, loving and involved father’s parenting time to one night a week and every other weekend. The decision made no mention of state statute 452.556, established last year with the passage of House Bill 1550. The new law encourages courts to “maximize to the highest degree the amount of time the child may spend with each parent.”

“As a Missouri mother, grandmother and someone who worked tirelessly last year on behalf of our children to make this law a reality, I urge all state lawmakers and citizens to join me in condemning the disregard for the law. Judges Thomas H. Newton, Alok Ahuja and Cynthia Martin disregarded state law when they signed the decision,” said Linda Reutzel, Chair of National Parents Organization of Missouri.  “Instead of following contemporary research and state law, these judges elevated the judicial status quo above a law that protects children’s best interests.”

Scientific evidence and overwhelming support drove Missouri’s custody reform. Research in child development shows shared parenting is best for children (see “Recent Research” below). And Missouri is not alone: 25 states have considered shared parenting reform in the past year.

The new Missouri law received unanimous support in the State Senate and 154-2 support in the House. When former Gov. Jay Nixon signed the bill into law, his office said the law “creates a more equalized approach to child custody and visitation.”

In a piece supporting the law change, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board said, “Missouri legislators should take a bow for passing a new law that helps ensure more successful divorces by giving fathers more consideration in divorce custody decisions.”

Shortly after the law went into effect, the Eastern District of Missouri Court of Appeals cited the law in a decision supportive of shared parenting.

“The Missouri Legislature passed House Bill 1550 and Governor Jay Nixon signed it into law because  Missouri judges had been ignoring the massive body of research showing children do much better with shared parenting after their parents separate or divorce. But the Western District of Missouri Court of Appeals essentially decided that various judges’ earlier decisions in custody matters should be given more weight than the opinion of the people of Missouri’s elected legislators and Governor,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization. “The decision to ignore the new law is outrageous, and the lawmakers and people of Missouri should not stand for this usurpation of their authority.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·         The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·         The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·         The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·            In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius shared details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·         63% of teen suicides;

·         70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·         71% of high school drop-outs;

·         75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·         85% of those in prison;

·         85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·         90% of homeless and runaway children.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws, and in 2017, National Parents Organization hosted the International Conference on Shared Parenting. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

PRESS RELEASE
NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION 

September 26, 2017

Poll: 84% of MI residents support children receiving equal time with both parents after divorce                            

LANSING — A family court reform bill moving in the Michigan House is getting a major boost, as a statewide poll released today finds there is overwhelming support for divorcing parents to have equal time with their kids after divorce.

Despite current Michigan Family Court practices of stripping one parent of custody of their children in most divorce cases, a whopping 84% of registered voters believe that joint custody and equal parenting time is in the best interest of the children, as long as there is no history of abuse, addiction or mental illness, according to a poll conducted by Marketing Resource Group last week.

“Legislators have heard from judges, they’ve heard from attorneys and they’ve heard from lobbyists who all oppose reforms,” said State Rep. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake).  “And now they are hearing from their constituents.  The message is loud and clear.  Residents are demanding the legislature take action to protect children from being torn away from their parents.”  Runestad is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and sponsor of House Bill 4691, which would significantly reform the current system.

Roughly 26,000 kids a year experience the stress of divorcing parents, according to the most recent data by the MichiganDepartment of Health and Human Services. (https://www.mdch.state.mi.us/pha/osr/marriage/Tab3.6.asp)  Each year, state family courts create over an estimated 10,000 single-parent children because of the courts’ decisions to strip custody from divorcing parents. The most common parenting plan for non-custodial parents calls for every other weekend visitation, meaning tens of thousands of Michigan children will never experience one of their two parents dropping them off at school or packing them a lunch. Those duties are assigned entirely to the other parent.

“This poll is a wake-up call for policymakers sitting on the fence,” said Linda Wright, Michigan Chair of the National Parents Organization. “One of the chief arguments from those opposing reforms is that ‘things are going well and therefore there is no need for change.’ Judges strip custody from one parent in over half of all divorce cases and the survey results show that residents strongly object to that.”  In some counties, as many as 85% of divorce cases result in one parent losing custody of their children, according to county-by-county data released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services last year.

What’s most remarkable about the poll is that 66% of voters strongly believe that having two parents share custody of their children after divorce is in the best interest of the kids. Rarely do any political issues engender such a visceral and overwhelming response. Strong support for shared parenting was evident across every geographic region of the state, both genders and roughly equally among Democrats and Republicans.  Seventy-six percent of registered voters support passing a law to force judges to rule for joint custody unless a parent is unwilling or unable to provide proper care.

HB 4691 changes current law by creating a starting point of joint custody and substantially equal parenting time in divorce situations. Exceptions are created under the legislation for domestic violence, abuse, neglect, or any other factor a judge may deem to materially compromise the health, safety or welfare of the child. Current law doesn’t require any finding of poor parenting in order to strip custody. They must only find that one parent is a bit “better” than the other when comparing 12 statutory factors.

“Our polling showed strong support across the board for shared child custody between parents,” said Tom Shields, President of MRG. “Men and women, Republicans and Democrats and those who have gone through a divorce all overwhelmingly support the fairness of joint custody and the proposed legislation to make it happen.”

“Not only is the support across the board, but it is intense as well as 65 percent of voters said they felt strongly about this issue,” said Shields. “Any issue that has 60 percent of the voters strongly supporting it is in the ‘moms and apple pie’ category.”

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family court reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. This spring, National Parents Organization sponsored the 2017 International Conference on Shared Parenting. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org. 

# # #

CONTACTS:

Linda Wright, National Parents Organization, Michigan Chair                            616-581-3665(c)

State Rep. Jim Runestad (R-Highland), Sponsor of HB 4691                               248-802-5500(c)          

Tom Shields, Pollster and President of Marketing Resource Group                      517-327-4400(o)

Actual wording of the survey conducted by MRG of Lansing:

Do you agree or disagree that joint equally shared parenting time, given there is no history of abuse, addiction or mental illness, is in the best interest of the child? [IF AGREE / DISAGREE, ASK] Would that be strongly (agree / disagree) or just somewhat (agree / disagree)?

                        Strongly Agree ……………………………….  66.2%

                        Somewhat Agree …………………………..  18.0%

                        Neither Agree nor Disagree ………………  3.0%

                        Somewhat Disagree …………………………  4.2%

                        Strongly Disagree …………………………….  4.2%

                        Don’t Know ……………………………………..  4.0%

                        Refused ………………………………………….  0.5%

                        TOTAL AGREE…………………….……………. 84.2%

                        TOTAL DISAGREE………………….……………. 8.2%

21.  Would you support or oppose the Michigan Legislature passing a law to require family court judges to rule in favor of joint equally shared parenting time unless the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that a parent is unfit, unwilling, or unable to care for the child? [IF SUPPORT / OPPOSE, ASK:] Would that be strongly (support / oppose) or just somewhat (support / oppose)?

                        Strongly support ……………………………..  51.7%

                        Somewhat support …………………………  24.5%

                        Neither support / oppose (VOL) …………  3.8%

                        Somewhat oppose …………………………..  7.2%

                        Strongly oppose ………………………………  7.8%

                        Don’t know ……………………………………..  4.5%

                        Refused ………………………………………….  0.5%

                        TOTAL SUPPORT…………………..…………… 76.2%

                        TOTAL OPPOSE………………………………… 14.9%

National Parents Organization encourages Michigan residents to attend two upcoming events surrounding state legislation seeking to move shared parenting from the exception to the norm following divorce and separation.

The events include:

·         9 a.m.-3 p.m., Michigan Capitol, Lansing, Sept. 27: “Michigan Women Shared Parenting Legislative Day” – With National Parents Organization as sponsor, women – mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and cousins – will speak with members of the House of Representatives about shared parenting

·         6 p.m.-8 p.m., Detroit Yacht Club, Detroit, Sept. 28: “Family Court & Child Custody Town Hall Hearing” – National Parents Organization and Michigan Shared Custody host an informational meeting on shared parenting with Rep. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, sponsor of the proposed reform, House Bill 4691

National Parents Organization stresses that the proposed legislation will make it much easier for loving parents to win “shared parenting,” a flexible arrangement in which children spend as close to equal time as possible with each parent after divorce or separation. HB 4691 has momentum because it was approved by the Michigan House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee prior to the legislative summer break. 

“Anyone who has been through a custody battle under the existing law knows that change is needed, and now Michigan has an historic opportunity to support legislation that research shows is what children desperately want and need – and that’s not one, but both loving parents actively involved in their lives,” said Grand Rapids mother and grandmother Linda Wright, who serves as Chair of National Parents Organization of Michigan. “I’m excited for the citizens of our state to learn more about this family friendly proposal through the upcoming events.”

While U.S. Census data shows our family courts still favor sole custody to mom more than 80 percent of the time, Michigan is far from alone in advancing shared parenting. States including Arizona, Alaska, Utah and Wisconsin are among the states with laws supportive of shared parenting, and Kentucky and Missouri have passed shared parenting reform in recent months. Plus, more than 25 states have considered shared parenting this year alone. Outside of the U.S., shared parenting has been the norm in Sweden for years, and research presented this spring at the 2017 International Conference on Shared Parenting in Boston was overwhelmingly supportive of the two-parent model. 

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

• The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”
• In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”
• The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.
• The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”
• In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius shared details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

• 63% of teen suicides;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;
• 71% of high school drop-outs;
• 75% of children in chemical abuse centers;
• 85% of those in prison;
• 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and
• 90% of homeless and runaway children.

 
ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
August 24, 2017

SUPPORT WOMEN’S EQUALITY DAY WITH SHARED PARENTING

25 States Recently Considered Reform

BOSTON, MA – National Parents Organization urges citizens and legislators nationwide to recognize Women’s Equality Day on Saturday, Aug. 26 by supporting shared parenting legislation across the country. Shared parenting is a flexible arrangement in which parents who are separated or divorced each provide at least 35% of the parenting time. The current sole custody model assigns mothers nearly 90 percent of the parenting time, which limits their time to pursue career goals, hobbies and a social life.

“When children have as close to equal time as possible with each parent, moms and dads also have equal time for their careers,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization. “And since almost 30 percent of mothers are saddled with nearly full-time single parenting, the pay gap cannot be eliminated without shared parenting.”

Holstein also said: “Our family courts need to stop placing sole responsibility for child rearing on the mother and encourage their career achievements by allowing dad to assume equal responsibility for raising children. Shared parenting is most important for the children, who want and need equal time with both parents following divorce, but it has additional benefits to the parents, including promoting equal opportunity to accomplish professional goals.”

While shared parenting is unusual, efforts to turn it from the exception to the norm within the family courts are growing. Several states have recently implemented reform, and 25 states total have considered shared parenting legislation this year. States including Kentucky and Missouri have implemented shared parenting reform in the past year. In a 2016 professional poll of 580 Maryland voters, only 17% of women opposed this reform.

“Shared parenting gets rid of the outdated model of a female homemaker and a male breadwinner and allows both parents the time to pursue a successful work-life balance,” Dr. Holstein said. “The Maryland poll results show that women want this flexibility. The evidence showing shared parenting is also in the best interest of children is overwhelming. With this in mind, backing family law reform that seeks to move shared parenting from rare to common is a terrific way to support the best possible environment for children. This Women’s Equality Day, let’s work together to relieve single mothers and help give children of single parents what they most want and need – love, time and support from both parents.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·         The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·         The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·         The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·            In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius shared details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·         63% of teen suicides;

·         70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·         71% of high school drop-outs;

·         75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·         85% of those in prison;

·         85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·         90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
Aug. 11, 2017

With back-to-school season upon us, we are once again faced with the paradox that educational test scores among disadvantaged students have barely budged over the past 50 years despite vastly increased school spending and hundreds of educational experiments. National Parents Organization encourages lawmakers, educators, parents, and family court judges to take note of the robust research showing that a major piece of the gap could be closed by making shared parenting after parents separate or divorce the norm instead of the exception.

Consider the following data:

·         According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for 71 percent of high school dropouts.

·         Linda Nielsen, a professor of educational and adolescent psychology at Wake Forest University, published research titled, “Divorced Fathers and Their Daughters: A Review of Recent Research.” She found that children, specifically daughters, need a relationship with their father post-divorce. Pantene and Mattel used her research to create 30-second Super Bowl spots in 2016 and 2017, respectively, showing dads playing with their daughters. Her research concluded that daughters who have active fathers tend to have more self-confidence, better mental health and are more successful in school.

·         The Office for National Statistics (U.K.) report shows a father’s level of education is the strongest factor in determining a child’s future success at school, while a mother’s education level was important to a lesser degree.

·         A review of nearly 50 peer-reviewed research papers on post-divorce parenting found that almost every study found better results for children who had shared parenting after parental separation or divorce; the improved outcomes were reflected in many measures, including education. The results were endorsed by 110 experts around the world. (See more below on Dr. Warshak.)

Despite this research, shared parenting – where children spend as close to equal time as possible with each parent after separation or divorce – remains rare. According to the U.S. Census, sole custody, usually awarded to the mother, is in place in more than 80 percent of child custody cases. The other parent, usually the father, is not awarded enough parenting time to have a positive influence during the school week.

“As families and communities set goals for their children this school year, we must look at the facts and work together to ensure children of separated and divorced families have the strong foundation needed to succeed in school – and that foundation is the active involvement of both parents,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization.

While shared parenting is uncommon, in this year alone, 25 states have considered legislation seeking to turn shared parenting from the exception to the norm – states passing laws supportive of the reform in the past year include Missouri and Kentucky.

“At this time of year, we often hear of lawmakers supporting back-to-school initiatives such as school supply drives, and speaking of the importance of good studying habits, etc. To truly get to the core of the issue, I urge legislators in every state to take it a step further and pass laws supportive of shared parenting this school year,” Dr. Holstein said.

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·         The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·         The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·         The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·            In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius shared details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·         63% of teen suicides;

·         70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·         71% of high school drop-outs;

·         75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·         85% of those in prison;

·         85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·         90% of homeless and runaway children.

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
Aug. 9, 2017

The event will focus on educating citizens on the state’s current laws on child custody after divorce or separation as well as details on current Michigan legislation that seeks to turn shared parenting – a flexible arrangement where children spend as close to equal time as possible with each parent after divorce or separation – from the exception to the norm. The proposal, House Bill 4691, was passed by the Michigan House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee prior to the legislative summer break.

Rep. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, the bill’s sponsor, is hosting the event. The organization Michigan Shared Custody serves as the night’s sponsor. Parents, attorneys and other state legislators will join Runestad in discussing these potential changes.

“Michigan has an historic opportunity to support legislation that research shows is what children desperately want and need – and that’s not one, but both loving parents actively involved in their lives. And I’m excited for the citizens of our state to learn more about this family friendly proposal on the 21^st,” said Grand Rapids mother and grandmother Linda Wright, who serves as Chair of National Parents Organization of Michigan.

While U.S. Census data shows our family courts still favor sole custody to mom more than 80 percent of the time, Michigan is not alone in advancing shared parenting. States including Arizona, Alaska, Utah and Wisconsin are among the states with laws supportive of shared parenting, and Kentucky and Missouri have passed shared parenting reform in recent months. Plus, more than 25 states have considered shared parenting this year alone. Outside of the U.S., shared parenting has been the norm in Sweden for years, and research presented this spring at the 2017 International Conference on Shared Parenting in Boston was overwhelmingly supportive of the two-parent model.

Event Details

What: Michigan Shared Custody Public Hearing

Date: Monday, Aug. 21

Time: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: 401 Hall Street SW, Suite, D2D, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

RSVP: michigansharedcustody.org

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·         The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·         The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·         The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·         In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius will share details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·            63% of teen suicides;

·            70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·            71% of high school drop-outs;

·            75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·            85% of those in prison;

·            85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·            90% of homeless and runaway children.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2017

BOSTON – National Parents Organization points to a recent survey of the Pew Research Center, “6 Facts About American Fathers,” as further confirmation that when it comes to parenting, Americans are decades ahead of the family courts. While ordinary American parents overwhelmingly shared the parenting of their children, the family courts still enforce the worn-out stereotypes of the child-raising mother and the breadwinning father.

Previously, 86% of voters in Massachusetts voted for the proposition that after divorce, shared parenting should be the norm if both parents are fit and there has been no domestic violence. Similar results were obtained in a survey of Maryland voters by a professional polling firm. The Pew results confirm that mothers and fathers both recognize that children do best when both parents are involved in their care.

Despite the convergence of gender roles in parenting, the family courts continue to award sole custody of children to mothers more than 80 percent of the time, and shared physical custody only about eight percent of the time. This is despite the overwhelming research evidence presented at the recent Third International Conference on Shared Parenting that children do better on just about every measure when they have shared parenting after separation or divorce.

The Pew article featured the following information:

·         Pew Research conducted a survey in 2016 in which 71 percent of all respondents (74 percent of women) said it was important for a newborn to bond with each parent. (This would require some form of shared parenting for infants, still a controversial point in some quarters.)

·         A 2015 Pew survey found that 57 percent of fathers surveyed say parenting is “extremely important to their identity,” compared to 58 percent of mothers. However, dads said parenting was rewarding all the time (54 percent) and enjoyable all the time (46 percent) compared to moms (52 percent and 41 percent, respectively).

·         Pew Research also showed fathers are much more involved with their children compared to 50 years ago, but 48 percent feel they aren’t doing enough, compared to 25 percent of mothers who said the same.

“These statistics from Pew make it clear – dads, whether married or separated, want to be dads, alongside moms.  And we know this is better for children too. Knowing this, it’s even more tragic that our nation’s family courts continue to operate with a default setting that gives mom the parent role and dad the visitor role,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization.

While shared parenting remains rare, in this year alone, 25 states have considered legislation seeking to turn shared parenting from the exception to the norm – states passing laws supportive of the reform in the past year include Missouri and Kentucky.

“Lawmakers and judges in every state must act on research and immediately support shared parenting,” Holstein said. “It’s beyond time we allow our nation’s fathers to be fathers, and our children to have what they most long for  — the love and guidance of both parents.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·         The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·         The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·         The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·         In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius will share details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

·         63% of teen suicides;

·         70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

·         71% of high school drop-outs;

·         75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

·         85% of those in prison;

·         85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

·         90% of homeless and runaway children.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

July 25, 2017

Startling new research published in an American Psychological Association journal reveals that how much parents fight has been greatly overemphasized in deciding custody arrangements for children whose parents have separated or divorced. National Parents Organization encourages state legislators and judges to take notice of this latest research.

“Parental conflict has been the single most-cited reason for denying joint physical custody (‘shared parenting’) to good parents. But now, we see that decades of often-forgotten research reveal that parental conflict is far less important in children’s happiness after divorce than previously believed,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization. “Since numerous other studies show that most children fare much better with shared parenting after parental separation or divorce, the over-emphasis on parental conflict is depriving millions of children of what they most need: the love and guidance of both parents.”

After re-examining the research on parental conflict and custody arrangements, Prof. Linda Nielsen of Wake Forest University concluded that the best research currently available suggested that the quality of the parent–child relationship was more closely linked to children’s outcomes than parental conflict or the quality of the co-parenting relationship. She recognized that this conclusion does not hold for the most severe forms of parental conflict.

In a recent issue of Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, Nielsen’s article “Re-examining the Research on Parental Conflict, Co-parenting and Custody Arrangements,” stated: “In other words, the role of conflict has too often been exaggerated and should not be the determining factor in child custody decisions or in regard to JPC [joint physical custody] arrangements except in those situations where the children need protection from an abusive or negligent parent. While continuing our efforts to reduce parent conflict and to improve the co-parenting relationship, we should be equally — or perhaps even more — invested in helping both parents strengthen their relationships with their children and improve their parenting skills.”

Nielsen’s research is just the latest in the growing consensus supporting shared parenting. The numerous others include:

·         In a social science and parenting consensus report, 110 child development experts found that “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·         32 family law experts in the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

Amid this growing consensus, more and more states are considering whether shared custody should be the norm, not the exception. About 25 states have proposed laws in recent years to implement it, according to The Wall Street Journal. In the past year, for example, Missouri enacted a bill supportive of shared parenting bill, and Kentucky’s new shared parenting law took effect July 1.

Dr. Holstein said: “Our family court system, which awards sole custody to mothers more than 80 percent of the time, needs to recognize its excessive concern with low and moderate degrees of parental conflict and instead strive for shared parenting in most cases. It’s time to abide by the scientific evidence and take the guesswork out of child custody decisions.”

MEDIA SOURCE

Ned Holstein, M.D., M.S.

A regular contributor to local and national media, Dr. Holstein is Founder and Chair of the Board of National Parents Organization. Dr. Holstein was appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts to the Massachusetts Working Group on Child-Centered Family Law, and he was previously appointed by a Massachusetts Chief Justice to a task force charged with reviewing and revising the state’s child support guidelines.

A graduate of Harvard College, Holstein also earned a Master’s degree in psychology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His medical degree is from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he later served on the faculty as a teacher and researcher. 

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org 

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE
July 10, 2017

National Parents Organization appreciates that The Wall Street Journal recently tackled an important family issue with the article “How Can the U.S. Get More Women in the Workforce? Ask Canada.” As the article details, Canada has a significantly higher percentage of women in the workforce compared to the U.S. The article examines what the U.S. can do to follow in Canada’s footsteps to up its percentage, and National Parents Organization would like to add a crucial option to the list: make shared parenting after divorce or separation the norm. Shared parenting is a flexible arrangement where children spend as close to equal time with each parent as possible after divorce or separation.

“Our nation’s antiquated family courts are standing in the way of women’s advancement in the workplace. Instead of awarding shared parenting after parents separate or divorce, the family courts still award sole physical custody to mothers in more than 80 percent of cases. While this feels like a custody battle ‘victory’ at first, over the course of time mothers realize that they have been trapped in the homemaker role,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization. “Treating mothers as homemakers and fathers as breadwinners who pay child support keeps women in a position of dependency and is out of touch with modern society. Thankfully, shared parenting is not only better for women who want career advancement, but it has been convincingly shown to be better for children too.”

Shared parenting is better for fathers too, who find that having only every other weekend with their children often leads to heartache.

So shared parenting is a triple-win, for mothers who can have the time to pursue demanding career goals, fathers who can maintain close and loving relationships with their children, and the children themselves, who are happier and more successful with shared parenting.

While shared parenting remains unusual in the United States, the reform is moving forward. For instance, it has been the norm in countries including Sweden for years, and research presented this spring at the 2017 International Conference on Shared Parenting in Boston was overwhelmingly supportive of the two-parent model. States including Kentucky and Missouri have passed laws supportive of shared parenting within the past year, and, as the Fast Company article “Are Custody Laws Standing in the Way of Gender Equity?” reported, at least 25 states total have considered the legislative reform this year.

“Our family courts need to stop placing sole responsibility for child rearing on mothers and encourage their career achievements by allowing fathers to assume equal responsibility for raising children,” Dr. Holstein said. “Shared parenting is most important for the children, who desperately want and need equal time with mom and dad following divorce, but it has additional benefits to the parents, including promoting equal opportunity to accomplish professional goals.”

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION
PRESS RELEASE

June 23, 2017

NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION THANKS MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS FOR MOVING SHARED PARENTING FORWARD

National Parents Organization applauds the Michigan House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee for sending the message that fathers matter every day, not just on the recently celebrated Father’s Day. The message came by way of the committee passing House Bill 4691 on June 20.

“Research shows that children want and need fathers in their lives just as much as mothers after separation or divorce, and I want to thank the House Judiciary Committee for working to bring our state’s child custody laws in line with the data,” said Linda Wright, a mother and grandmother who’s actively involved in the legislation.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Runestad, supports shared parenting – a flexible arrangement where children spend as close to equal time with each parent as possible after divorce or separation. While U.S. Census data shows our family courts still favor sole custody to mom more than 80 percent of the time, Michigan is not alone in advancing shared parenting. States including Arizona, Alaska, Utah and Wisconsin are among the states with laws supportive of shared parenting, and Kentucky and Missouri have passed shared parenting reform in recent months. Plus, more than 20 states have considered shared parenting in recent years, according to The Wall Street Journal. Outside of the U.S., shared parenting has been the norm in Sweden and Australia for years, and research presented last month at the 2017 International Conference on Shared Parenting in Boston was overwhelmingly supportive of the two-parent model.

Michigan’s bill now heads to the House and Senate.

“For the sake of the thousands of Michigan families impacted by divorce or separation, I urge Michigan legislators and Gov. Snyder to swiftly move this bill into law when they return from break in September,” said Ned Holstein, MD, Founder and Board Chair of National Parents Organization. “Instead of setting up parents for a bitter and unnecessary custody battle, this proposal would allow families to heal from the pain of divorce from a position of equality and co-parenting.”

RECENT RESEARCH: SHARED PARENTING VERSUS SINGLE PARENTING

Shared Parenting Data

·  The Journal of the American Psychological Association published a paper titled “Social Science and Parenting Plans for Young Children: A Consensus Report” in 2014, and the conclusions were endorsed by 110 eminent authorities around the world. Authored by Dr. Richard Warshak at the University of Texas, the paper concluded, “… shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages, including very young children.”

·  In 2016, Dr. Warshak wrote, “Two years after its publication, the conclusions and recommendations of the Warshak consensus report remain supported by science.” He also wrote, “The paper has been translated into at least eighteen languages and has informed legislative deliberations throughout the U.S. and parliamentary deliberations in several countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Finland, Romania, Croatia, and Sweden. Two years after its publication, the consensus report continues to be one of the most downloaded papers from the journal’s website.” He added, “The list of endorsers and their stature and accomplishments reflect the field’s general acceptance of the consensus report’s findings as rooted in settled science from more than four decades of research directly relevant to this topic, including seminal studies by many of the endorsers.”

·  The Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health published a 150,000-person study titled “Fifty moves a year: Is there an association between joint physical custody and psychosomatic problems in children?” in May 2015 that concluded shared parenting after divorce or separation is in the best interest of children’s health because the arrangement lowers their stress levels.

·  The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) published the recommendations of 32 family law experts in 2014, and the group concluded, “Children’s best interests are furthered by parenting plans that provide for continuing and shared parenting relationships that are safe, secure, and developmentally responsive and that also avoid a template calling for a specific division of time imposed on all families.”

·  In December, 2016, The American Psychological Association published research by William V. Fabricius of Arizona State University in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law entitled, “Should Infants and Toddlers Have Frequent Overnight Parenting Time With Fathers? The Policy Debate and New Data.” Prof Fabricius’ findings provide “… strong support for policies to encourage frequent overnight parenting time [up to and including 50/50 overnights –Ed] for infants and toddlers [even younger than one year –Ed], because the benefits [for children-Ed] associated with overnights also held for parents who initially agreed about overnights as well as for those who disagreed and had the overnight parenting plan imposed over 1 parent’s objections.” Fabricius will share details on his findings during the International Conference on Shared Parenting 2017, a May 29-30, 2017 event in Boston, Massachusetts hosted by National Parents Organization and the International Council on Shared Parenting.

Single Parenting Data

According to federal statistics from sources including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Census Bureau, children raised by single parents account for:

•       63% of teen suicides;

•       70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions;

•       71% of high school drop-outs;

•       75% of children in chemical abuse centers;

•       85% of those in prison;

•       85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders; and

•       90% of homeless and runaway children.

ABOUT NATIONAL PARENTS ORGANIZATION

National Parents Organization, a charitable and educational 501 (c)(3) organization, seeks better lives for children through family law reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers after divorce or separation. The organization is focused on promoting shared parenting and preserving a child’s strong bond with both parents, which is critically important to their emotional, mental, and physical health. In 2014, National Parents Organization released the Shared Parenting Report Card, the first study to rank the states on child custody laws. Visit the National Parents Organization website at www.nationalparentsorganization.org