Often when New York parents end their relationships they have concerns over how their children will transition into their new lives. The parents may wish to eliminate as many changes as possible to their kids’ schedules and keep life as normal as possible for the children despite the parents’ divorce or separation.
The best interests of the children guide how parents and courts establish child custody arrangements, but it is important to remember that every family law situation is different. For this reason, a custodial plan that works for one family may be insufficient to meet the needs of another. It is also important to remember that a child custody plan that served a child early in their life may no longer be the best plan to provide them with what they need as they mature.
When changes in circumstance occur within a familial setting it is often useful to review a child’s custody plan. If a parent must move for their job or plans to remarry, it can be beneficial to take a proactive look at a child’s physical custody arrangement to determine if it will still work for the child as the changes take place. If it will not, a parent may wish to initiate a child custody modification through the courts to ensure that their child is not left behind as the lives of their parents evolve.
Parents may agree to custodial changes or the courts may order changes when called upon to do so. In either situation a child’s best interests must be pursued so that any modifications made to their custodial plan promote the needs and welfare of the child.