Conference Conclusions 2015

Conference Conclusions

1. As shared parenting has been recognized by the research community, as well as by legal and mental health practitioners, as a viable post-separation parenting arrangement that is optimal to child development and well-being, there is consensus that both the legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption should proceed without delay, with the full sanction and support of professional bodies and associations.

2. As shared parenting encompasses both shared parental authority (decision-making) and shared parental responsibility for the day-to-day upbringing and welfare of children, between fathers and mothers, in keeping with children’s age and stage of development, there is consensus that legal implementation of shared parenting, including both the assumption of shared responsibilities and presumption of shared rights in regard to the parenting of children by fathers and mothers who are living together or apart, be enshrined in law.

3. As shared parenting is recognized as the most effective means for both reducing high parental conflict and preventing first-time family violence, there is consensus that legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption should proceed with the goal of reducing parental conflict after separation. There is further consensus that legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption be encouraged for high conflict families in particular, with the full sanction and support of professional bodies and associations.

4. There is a consensus that the above apply to the majority of children and families, but not to situations of substantiated family violence and child abuse. In such cases, a rebuttable presumption against shared parenting should apply. There is a consensus that the priority for further research on shared parenting should focus on the intersection of child custody and family violence, including child maltreatment in all its forms. There is further consensus that a priority for both the scientific and the legal and mental health practice communities should be the development of legal statutes and practice guidelines with respect to safety measures in cases of established family violence.

5. As there is mounting evidence that shared parenting can both prevent parental alienation, and is a potential remedy for existing situations of parental alienation in separated families, there is consensus that further exploration of the viability of a legal presumption of shared parenting in situations of parental alienation be undertaken.

6. As therapeutic and mediation services are vital to the success of shared parenting arrangements, there is a consensus that an accessible network of family relationship centres that offer family mediation and other relevant support services are critical components of any effort toward legislative and psychosocial implementation of shared parenting. We call on governments to establish such networks as a necessary adjunct to the establishment of a legal presumption of shared parenting.

7. We call on member states to fully adopt the Council of Europe Resolution of 2 October 2015. In particular, we call on member states to adopt the following provisions:
5.5. Introduce into their laws the principle of shared residence following a separation.
5.9. Encourage and develop mediation within the framework of judicial proceedings in family cases involving children.

International Conference on Shared Parenting 2015 / Press Information 20151223 (pdf)

Conference Conclusions 2015

Conference Conclusions

1. As shared parenting has been recognized by the research community, as well as by legal and mental health practitioners, as a viable post-separation parenting arrangement that is optimal to child development and well-being, there is consensus that both the legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption should proceed without delay, with the full sanction and support of professional bodies and associations.

2. As shared parenting encompasses both shared parental authority (decision-making) and shared parental responsibility for the day-to-day upbringing and welfare of children, between fathers and mothers, in keeping with children’s age and stage of development, there is consensus that legal implementation of shared parenting, including both the assumption of shared responsibilities and presumption of shared rights in regard to the parenting of children by fathers and mothers who are living together or apart, be enshrined in law.

3. As shared parenting is recognized as the most effective means for both reducing high parental conflict and preventing first-time family violence, there is consensus that legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption should proceed with the goal of reducing parental conflict after separation. There is further consensus that legal and psycho-social implementation of shared parenting as a presumption be encouraged for high conflict families in particular, with the full sanction and support of professional bodies and associations.

4. There is a consensus that the above apply to the majority of children and families, but not to situations of substantiated family violence and child abuse. In such cases, a rebuttable presumption against shared parenting should apply. There is a consensus that the priority for further research on shared parenting should focus on the intersection of child custody and family violence, including child maltreatment in all its forms. There is further consensus that a priority for both the scientific and the legal and mental health practice communities should be the development of legal statutes and practice guidelines with respect to safety measures in cases of established family violence.

5. As there is mounting evidence that shared parenting can both prevent parental alienation, and is a potential remedy for existing situations of parental alienation in separated families, there is consensus that further exploration of the viability of a legal presumption of shared parenting in situations of parental alienation be undertaken.

6. As therapeutic and mediation services are vital to the success of shared parenting arrangements, there is a consensus that an accessible network of family relationship centres that offer family mediation and other relevant support services are critical components of any effort toward legislative and psychosocial implementation of shared parenting. We call on governments to establish such networks as a necessary adjunct to the establishment of a legal presumption of shared parenting.

7. We call on member states to fully adopt the Council of Europe Resolution of 2 October 2015. In particular, we call on member states to adopt the following provisions:
5.5. Introduce into their laws the principle of shared residence following a separation.
5.9. Encourage and develop mediation within the framework of judicial proceedings in family cases involving children.

International Conference on Shared Parenting 2015 / Press Information 20151223 (pdf)

Conclusions de la conférence internationale sur la résidence alternée Bonn 2015

La deuxième conférence, en décembre 2015, à Bonn, a discuté des meilleures pratiques
pour le développement, aux niveaux législatif et psycho-social, de la résidence alternée.

Conference Conclusions

  1. La résidence alternée ayant été reconnue – par le secteur de la recherche ainsi que par les praticiens du droit et de la santé mentale – comme une entente parentale viable après la séparation qui est optimale pour le développement et le bien-être de l’enfant, il y a consensus sur l’application juridique et psychosociale de la résidence alternée comme première option, sans délai, avec la pleine approbation et le soutien des associations et des organismes professionnels.
  2. Étant donné que la résidence alternée englobe à la fois le partage de l’autorité parentale (prise de décisions) et le partage de la responsabilité parentale pour l’éducation et le bien-être quotidiens des enfants, entre le père et la mère, en fonction de l’âge et du stade de développement des enfants, il y a consensus pour que l’application juridique de la résidence alternée, notamment l’acceptation du partage et de la présomption des droits en matière d’exercice du rôle parental par les mères et pères qui vivent ensemble ou séparément, soient inscrites dans la loi.
  3. La résidence alternée étant considérée comme le moyen le plus efficace à la fois de réduire le nombre élevé de conflits parentaux et de prévenir la violence familiale ponctuelle, il y a consensus pour que la mise en œuvre juridique et psycho-sociale de la résidence alternée en tant que présomption poursuive l’objectif de réduction du risque de conflit parental après la séparation. Il existe également un consensus sur le fait que la mise en œuvre juridique et psycho-sociale de la résidence alternée en tant que présomption devrait être encouragée pour les familles très conflictuelles en particulier, avec la pleine approbation et le soutien des associations et des organismes professionnels
  4. Il existe un consensus sur le fait que ce qui précède s’applique à la majorité des enfants et des familles, mais pas aux situations de violence familiale et de maltraitance infantile avérées. Dans de tels cas, une présomption réfutable contre la résidence alternée devrait s’appliquer. Il existe un consensus sur le fait que la priorité des recherches futures sur la résidence alternée devrait être centrée sur l’intersection de la garde des enfants et de la violence familiale, y compris la maltraitance des enfants sous toutes ses formes. De plus, il existe un consensus sur le fait que l’élaboration de statuts juridiques et de directives de pratique concernant les mesures de sécurité dans les cas de violence familiale établie devrait constituer une priorité pour les milieux de la pratique scientifique, juridique et de la santé mentale.
  5. Comme de plus en plus d’éléments prouvent que la résidence alternée peut à la fois prévenir l’aliénation parentale et constituer un remède potentiel aux situations d’aliénation parentale existantes dans des familles séparées, il y a consensus pour que soit entreprise une plus ample exploration de la viabilité d’une présomption légale de résidence alternée dans les situations d’aliénation parentale.
  6. Les services thérapeutiques et de médiation étant essentiels au succès des accords de résidence alternée, il est généralement admis qu’un réseau accessible de centres de relations familiales offrant une médiation familiale et d’autres services de soutien pertinents constitue un élément essentiel de tout effort de mise en œuvre législative et psychosociale de la résidence alternée. Nous appelons les gouvernements à mettre en place de tels réseaux, indispensables à l’instauration d’une présomption légale de la résidence alternée.
  7. Nous appelons les États membres à adopter pleinement la résolution du Conseil de l’Europe
    du 2 octobre 2015. Nous appelons en particulier les États membres à adopter les dispositions suivantes: 1/. Introduire dans leurs lois le principe de la résidence partagée après une séparation.2/. Encourager et développer la médiation dans le cadre des procédures judiciaires dans les affaires familiales impliquant des enfants.

    International Conference on Shared Parenting 2015 / Press Information 20151223 (pdf)