Custody and access arrangements following separation and divorce have been the subject of much child development and divorce research. As noted by an expert, this research over the past 25 years “provides ample evidence that the traditional alternating weekend visiting pattern failed to meet the psychosocial and emotional needs of many separated children in both the short and longer-term. These empirical findings have shaped the emergence of appropriate and beneficial parenting plan options, which consider children’s developmental and psychological needs, and provide alternatives for parents, courts, and professionals to consider as they decide upon the shape of children’s future relationship with each of their parents.” Joan B. Kelly, “Developing Beneficial Parenting Plan Models for Children Following Separation and Divorce,” 19 J . Am. Acad. Matrim. Law , 237, 238 (2005).

In essence, parenting plans set forth the time-sharing and decision-making arrangements parents are to follow regarding their children. These plans are individualized and can be created by the parents, by their attorneys, by parenting coordinators and others who assist with defining these arrangements. What is needed are developmentally appropriate parenting plans, and such plans must adjust over time to fit children’s changing needs.

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