All you need to know about Child Custody, and Care and Control

According to Singapore law, a Child is defined in the Women's Charter as the child under the age of 21. The act of custody applies to every individual in Singapore. You need to look for an experienced family lawyer in Singapore who will help you in all the divorce procedures and, in any case, if alimony is involved. It will be helpful to seek help from the experienced divorce lawyers because they will represent you in the court and give you the best and free legal advice and give you all the answers to your queries.

What is the difference between Child Custody and Care and Control?

Child custody refers to the parents' decision, which includes matters of education, healthcare, and religion of the child. In comparison, care and control are given only to one parent. The court will decide who will be involved in the child's day-to-day matters, and the other parents will be given access to the child for specific periods.

 

What are some of the types of child custody orders?

• Sole custody order – In this order, the parent who will be granted the custody of the child is responsible for making decisions concerning the child. This order is given to those cases in which the communication between both the parties is irretrievably broken down. It will affect the child as there will no co-operation of both the parents.
• Joint custody order – In this order, both the parties are eligible to make decisions about their child. In this case, both parents have to communicate with each other while making decisions. Joint custody orders also give the parents a message that neither parent has a better right to the child and encourages both the parties to communicate with each other.
• Hybrid order – Under this order, only to one parent the child custody will be given. The custodial parent has to co-operate with his/her partner about the welfare of the child.
• Split custody order – Under this order, custody of one or more siblings is granted to one parent, while the charge of the other siblings is given to the other parent. When a custody or care and control order is in force, no one, except the parent with custody, can take the child who is the subject of the law out of the country.
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How is the type of child custody order decided?

There are several factors due to which the child custody order is determined, which include:

• The primary caregiver of the child during his/her formative years
• The current living arrangements
• The child's wishes
• The parent's wishes
• The age of the child
• Parent's financial stability
• Presence of family support

If you are concerned about how child custody is decided, you should look for the best divorce lawyers in Singapore, and they will give you the best solution for your problem. The family lawyer will help you in a contested divorce, and you know that your partner will be fighting for the custody of the child.

 

How does the court decide the type of access order to give to the parent?

The court will order for Access Evaluation Reports where necessary and when both parties are disputing the access times. These reports are also confidential and will only be for the judge's use.

Here is the list of factors that the court will consider while deciding the quantum of access:

• The child's needs
• The child's wishes
• The non-custodial parent's bonding with the child
• The history of the relationship between the non-custodial parent and the child.