When couples file for divorce in Virginia, children are often left to go through major emotional and financial changes in their lives. As a way to minimize some of these dramatic changes, the court will issue a child support order to the non-custodial parent in the case. Child support is designed to bridge the financial gap that children often experience when they are forced to move into a new home and adapt to a new lifestyle.
Study: How joint custody benefits kids
There are many kids who spend a majority of the time with the custodial parent, and then visit the other parent on the weekends and on holidays. However, a study shows the benefits that kids experience when they are able to spend equal amounts of time with each parent. A meta-analysis reported in the Journal of Family Psychology found that children of divorce are often better adjusted when parents have shared custody rather than sole-physical custody.