ENSURING THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD IN PARENTS` CONFLICT: EXPERIENCES OF DIVORCING FAMILIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17770/sie2022vol1.6872Keywords:
best interests of the child, divorce, divorcing parents, Lithuania, right to be heardAbstract
Divorce causes structural family changes, which require specific decisions to be made. While making any decision that might have any impact on ones‘ children welfare it is necessary to consider what is best for the children, thus children should be involved in the decision-making process. This article aims to investigate what sort of challenges parents under the divorce process face while they seek to ensure that children interests would be met.
In order to conduct such an investigation, a qualitative methodology is employed. For data collection, analysis utilizes the semi-structured interview method, for the analysis of data the method of qualitative content analysis is being used. The research analysed seven couples of parents, all these couples are undergoing the divorce process and has children under 18 years of age.
Research‘s data reveals that it is important for parents to meet the needs of a child, to protect the child from negative effects of the divorce, to keep the child in touch with both parents, to involve the child in the changes that are caused by the divorce. However, parents have different evaluations of children needs, on one hand, some parents do consider a child‘s opinion as of utmost importance, on the other hand, some parents believe that child‘s opinion is irrelevant. It is also has been noticed that while parents aim to ensure that child keeps in touch with both of the separated parents, conflict occurs between the parents and the child and among the parents themselves. Parents usually fight with the child over a couple of issues. Firstly, children find it inappropriate to have restricted conditions for interaction with separately living parents. Secondly, it is usually unacceptable for a child to live in a household without his father or mother. Conflicts among divorced parents occur due to different approaches to childcare as well as disputes during collaboration agreement implementation.
Downloads
References
Amato, P.R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(4), 1269–1287. DOI: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2000.01269.x
Banham, V., Guilfoyle, A.M., Napolitano-Lincoln, R., & Cavazzi, T. (2011). Parental Separation
and the Right of the Child to have their views Listened to and Considered: Reality or Wishful Thinking? International Journal of Learning, 17(11), 495–508.
Çaksen, H. (2021). The effects of parental divorce on children. Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki.
DOI: 10.22365/jpsych.2021.040
Clarke-Stewart, A., & Brentano, C. (2006). Divorce: Causes and Consequences. Yale University
Press.
Committee On the Rights of the Child. (2009). General Comment No. 12. Retrieved from https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2fPPRiCAqhKb7yhsqIkirKQZLK2M58RF%2f5F0vHKTUsoHNPBW0noZpSp5d6MSKiT09ePYFY4cH5tmyyvg%2fzVvi%2bJDuaCgf7NB%2bqHeFDlerQVMa5D11979EtHr%2bnA
Daly, A. (2018). Children, Autonomy and the Courts: Beyond the Right to be Heard. Boston: The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication.
Danilevičienė, D. (2014). Dvasinių vertybių raiška ir šeimos institutas. Socialinis ugdymas, 39 (3), 99-114.
Dehghan, S. (2011). Incorporation of Children‘s Views in Legal Decisions in the UK. Germany: Open Publishing GmbH.
Dromantienė, L., & Šalaševičiūtė, R. (2006). Vaiko Teisių Apsauga Lietuvoje: Socialinių Darbuotojų Vaidmuo. Socialinis Darbas, 5(1), 79-88.
Gal, T., & Duramy, B. (2015). International Perspectives and Empirical Findings on Child Participation: From Social Exclusion to Child-Inclusive Policies. England: Oxford University Press.
Grant, S. (2016). Divorce: Risk Factors, Patterns and Impact on Children’s Well-being. Hauppauge, New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Heinemann, T., Helén, I., Lemke, T., Naue, U., Weiss, M. G. (2015). Suspect Families: DNA Analysis, Family Reunification and Immigration Policies. England: British Library Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315611426
Gaižauskaitė, I., & Valavičienė, N. (2016). Socialinių tyrimų metodai: kokybinis interviu. Vilnius: MRU.
Kairienė, B. (2012). Vaiko teisinis statusas: įgyvendinimo problemos. Socialinių mokslų studijos, 4(4), 1443-1455.
Kairienė, B., & Jekaitytė, L. (2010). Vaiko interesų įgyvendinimas santuokos nutraukimo proceso metu. Socialinis darbas, 9 (1), 99-106.
Kwame Owusu-Bempah. (2014). Children and Separation: Socio-Genealogical Connectedness Perspective. Routledge.
Lietuvos statistika. (2022). Divorces. Crude divorce rate. Retrieved from https://osp.stat.gov.lt/statistiniu-rodikliu-analize?hash=98714b6f-21a0-45d6-a533-163168b5087e#/
Malone, K., & Hartung, C. (2010). Challenges of participatory practice with children. In B. PercySmith & N. Thomas (Eds.). A Handbook of children and young people’s participation. Perspectives from theory and practice. New York: Routledge.
Oren, D., & Hadomi, E. (2020). Let’s Talk Divorce - An Innovative Way of Dealing with the Long-Term Effects of Divorce through Parent-Child Relationships. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 61(2), 148–167.
Rajewska de Mezer, J. (2020). The Place of Family Mediation as a Form of Support and Protection of Children’s Rights in Social Assistance Activities. Czech & Slovak Social Work / Sociální Práce / Sociálna Práca, 20(4), 87–102.
Todres, J., & King, S. M. (2020). The Oxford Handbook of Children‘s Rights Law. England: Oxford University Press.
United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. (1989). Retrieved from: https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
Žydžiūnaitė, V., & Sabaliauskas, S. (2017). Kokybiniai tyrimai, principai ir metodai. Vilnius: Vaga.
