Children from separated households benefit from shared parenting, members of the judiciary and the legal profession have been told during training on positive parenting strategies.
Children should always remain outside of the conflict, experts have advised.
In shared parenting arrangements, children spend an equal or near equal amount of time with their two parents who are no longer together.
Outlining the details of the training during a news conference was Claire Casha, a University of Malta lecturer who authored a paper that gathered four meta-analytic reviews on the subject.
In all four reviews featured in Casha's work, titled ’Contemporaneous Evidence on Child Custody Arrangements Post Separation‘, shared parenting led to the best outcomes in children.
“A total of 50,000 children were analysed when taking into account all the studies included in the work,” Casha said.
She found that in shared parenting scenarios, children have better self-esteem, are less prone to alcohol and drug abuse, and adjust better and quicker to their new post-separation/divorce reality.
There is less conflict and guilt in shared parenting arrangements and allowing for more quality time with children allows both parents time to rest and invest in themselves.
However, Casha said that instances of domestic violence, threats of child abduction, and risk of child abuse must be taken into account.
To a lesser extent, the parent-child relationship and conflict between parents need to also be considered, she said.
Based on the findings of the study, training sessions were provided to the judiciary, mediators and family lawyers.
Positive Parenting Malta spearheaded the programme in cooperation with the justice and social policy ministries.
Ruth Sciberras, chairperson of the NGO said separation and divorce puts children at risk of depression, anger, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
When parents split up, children experience many changes in life, such as a new home, possibly a new school, and new friends.
Appealing to parents undergoing a separation to not use children as “a tool of rivalry” Sciberras said shared parenting is the best outcome for children in the circumstances.“
Children should always remain outside the conflict,” she added.
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said shared parenting should be the norm and “the premise from which child custody arrangements take off”.
The government believes the judiciary and legal professionals need to know what academia says to be able to make informed decisions, Attard said.
Whenever possible, both parents should spend equal time with their children he said.
“Times have changed and it is now normal for both parents to work.”
While agreeing with shared parenting, Social Policy minister Michael Falzon said every case is unique.
“Shared parenting is ideal but some realities are difficult. We should do all that we can to safeguard the interests of children,” he said.