Third-party custody
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. (October 2011)
In some custody situations, it is possible that the child/children will not remain with either of their natural, biological, parents, but instead custody is awarded to a third person.[1] Generally speaking, third-party custody occurs when one of two options occur:[1]
The biological parents do not want custody of the child/children.[1]
The biological parents are incapable of caring for the child/children.[1]
Voluntary relinquishmentEdit
Occasionally, parents will agree to allow an adult (who is not either of the two parents) to raise their child/children.[1] Generally, if either parent changes his/her mind later in the child's life, he/she has the option to seek custody at that point.[1]
Unfit parentsEdit
Custody may be awarded to a third adult (who is not either of the two parents) because the parents both seemed unfit to do so.[1] Reasons that the court would retain authority over the child/children and later award custody to a third adult include:[1]
Child abuse/neglect.[1]
Substance abuse.[1]
Deliberate desertion/abandonment of the child/children.[1]
Inability to provide an adequate income which is necessary for the raising of a child.[1]
Other forms of custodyEdit
Alternating custody is an arrangement whereby the child/children live for an extended period of time with one parent, and then for a similar amount of time with the other parent. While the child/children are with the parent, that parent retains sole authority over the child/children.
Bird's nest custody is an arrangement whereby the parents go back and forth from a residence in which the child/children reside, placing the burden of upheaval and movement on the parents rather than the child/children.
Joint custody is an arrangement whereby both parents have legal custody and/or both parents have physical custody.
Sole custody is an arrangement whereby only one parent has physical and legal custody of a child.
Split custody is an arrangement whereby one parent has full-time custody over some children, and the other parent has full custody over the other children.
Legal custody
Parens patriae
Physical custody
Shared parenting
Ward of the state
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Webster Watnik (April 2003). Child Custody Made Simple: Understanding the Laws of Child Custody and Child Support. Single Parent Press. pp. 16–38. ISBN 978-0-9649404-3-7. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Third-party_custody&oldid=845131227"