Guidelines For Visits Research Articles

Children's Living Arrangements Following Separation and Divorce: Insights From Empirical and Clinical Research

When parents separate, children typically enter into new living arrangements with each parent in a pattern determined most often by one or both parents or, failing private agreement, as a result of recommendations and decisions by lawyers, therapists, custody evaluators, or family courts. Most of these decisions have been based on cultural traditions and beliefs regarding postseparation parenting plans, visitation guidelines adopted within jurisdictions, unsubstantiated theory, and strongly held personal values and professional opinions, and have resulted since the 1960s in children spending most of their time with one residential parent and limited time with nonresident, or "visiting", parents. A large body of social science and child development research generated over the past three decades has identified factors associated with risk and resiliency of children after divorce. Such research remains largely unknown and untapped by parents and professionals making these crucial decisions about children's living arrangements. This article highlights empirical and clinical research that is relevant to the shape of children's living arrangements after separation, focusing first on what is known about living arrangements following divorce, what factors influence living arrangements for separated and divorced children, children's views about their living arrangements, and living arrangements associated with children's adjustment following divorce. Based on this research, it is argued that traditional visiting patterns and guidelines are, for the majority of children, outdated, unnecessarily rigid, and restrictive, and fail in both the short and long term to address their best interests. Research-based parenting plan models offering multiple options for living arrangements following separation and divorce more appropriately serve children's diverse developmental and psychological needs.

Visitation guidelines promote safe, satisfying environments

Visitation guidelines promote safe, satisfying environments

Visitation and Child Support Guidelines: A Comment on Fabricius and Braver

Visitation and Child Support Guidelines: A Comment on Fabricius and Braver

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH

Kelly and Lamb (2000) recently provided a summary of the attachment literature and a set of guidelines for visitation and custody for young children in divorced and separated families. Here, Solomon and Biringen review the same literature with an eye to critically evaluating these guidelines, especially the suggestion that more, rather than fewer, transitions between parents are appropriate for very young children. Three types of empirical findings raise questions regarding the appropriateness of Kelly and Lamb's guidelines. These include differences in the development of infant‐mother and infant‐father attachments, young children's sensitivity to overnight separations from the primary caregiver, and the possibility of infant preferences for primary versus secondary caregivers in times of stress. The authors argue that considerably more rigorous research is required before submitting Kelly and Lamb's suggestion to social policy.

COPARENTING ARRANGEMENTS IN A JURISDICTION WITH STATUTORY GUIDELINES

Some states have recently moved away from the traditional winner‐loser model of child custody to one focused on coparenting. Under the old approach, divorce decrees typically “awarded” custody to one parent while relegating the other to a “visitor” with poorly defined status. The new system is premised on the child's need for a continuing relationship with both parents and promotes this goal by upgrading the noncustodial parent's status and time‐share, assigning substantive rights and responsibilities to both parents. To give effect to the shared parenting idea, Texas adopted joint custody and statutory visitation guidelines legislatively. The policy covers all major aspects of parental rights and duties with great specificity (not just child support, for which all states must have guidelines). It applies equally to divorce and paternity cases. Judges are authorized to deviate from standard visitation guidelines but must state a rationale for doing so on request. Parties may also negotiate and agree to arrangements at variance with the guidelines, subject to approval by the court. This article describes the statutory regime in Texas and its implementation in the family court system. Based on a sample of divorce and paternity cases in the state's largest jurisdiction, it documents innovative court interventions and a wide array of coparenting and support arrangements.

AMA issues annual teen visit guidelines

AAP members are giving a thumbs-up to the American Medical Association9s recently-issued guidelines calling for annual teen physician visits, and some members predict the Academy will mirror the plan with a similar recommendation. More than two years in the making, the AMA9s 24-recommendation Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS), were formed to meet the changing needs of the adolescent population and is reportedly the first set of specifically adolescent health care guidelines.

MANUAL OF AMBULATORY PEDIATRICS

This pocket-sized manual is a concise, ready reference for well-child care, a compilation of the most common management problems seen in an average pediatric practice, and a drug reference. Part I provides comprehensive guidelines for well-child visits from birth to adolescence along with management guidelines for common childrearing issues. This part has a new, more streamlined format in the sixth edition with an emphasis on prevention. Part II provides management protocols for the most commonly occurring childhood illnesses. This edition includes new material on behavioral problems and common childrearing concerns, childhood obesity, food allergies, ADHD, sleep problems, and peer pressure. Part III provides a concise review of commonly used pharmaceuticals in pediatric practice, using both generic and trade names.

Guidelines for Visits to Solar Energy-assisted Homes

Guidelines for Visits to Solar Energy-assisted Homes