Co-parenting can be complicated with a special needs child

Child custody situations can be difficult even in the best of situations. When the parents have a special needs child, they have some special considerations that might make it even more complicated.

For many children with special needs, having a consistent schedule is imperative. Not only do they need this for mental purposes, they also need it to ensure that they receive medications and treatments on time. This can make the parenting plan hard to determine.

Both parents must learn to care for the child since they will each have time alone with them. During the marriage, one parent might have taken on the majority of the responsibility, but this isn’t going to be possible now.

Another thing to consider in these cases is determining who is going to make decisions for the child. You need to think about medical and education decisions, as well as social ones. Will both parents make these decisions together or will one have the primary decision making powers? What will happen if there is an emergency with the child? Coming up with these plans now can help to reduce the stress that might occur later.

If the child gets special care assistance, you will also have to work to coordinate those schedules. In order to do this, you have to find out if the company providing the care is going to go to the home where the child is at the time. This might be an issue if you and your ex don’t live in the same area.

Ultimately, you need to make sure that the child custody agreement address all of the possible issues that your special needs child might have. Making sure that your child is taken care of has to be the priority.