Washington Family Law and the Parenting Act of 1987
Washington family law seeks to promote the children’s best interest during and after divorce. The Parenting Act of 1987 solidifies this effort. The goals of the Parenting Act of 1987 are the following:
- Preserve parent-child relationship in the most loving and stable environment possible
- Provide for the child’s physical and emotional needs
- Minimize conflicts between spouses which may severely affect the children
- Identify specific tasks of each parent in raising the children
The Parenting Act does not use the words “custody” and “visitation.” It prefers the terms “parenting functions,” residential schedule” and “parenting plan.” It looks to a more functional approach—that of identifying which parent does what after divorce.
This way, parental responsibilities are clearly defined and subsequently, conflicts regarding the children are avoided. After all, in such conflicts, it is the children who are often most affected.
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