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HELPING PEOPLE THROUGH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS FOR
MORE THAN 25 YEARS

Parents in Ohio who divorce or separate may later face conflicts about how to divide child custody and visitation. While children benefit strongly from a close relationship with both parents, the differences between the parents can boil over into challenges in creating a successful parenting plan. When one parent has primary custody, the other parent may have visitation with the kids. Visitation is usually a part of ensuring shared time for the children. In some cases, however, the custodial parent may have serious concerns about continuing the visitation schedule as ordered.

For example, a parent may be concerned that the children spend most of their visitation time being watched by a partner of the other parent or providing babysitting services to a smaller half-sibling. Other parents may be concerned about the potential for abuse or lack of supervision, especially if the non-custodial parent is aware of previous issues with domestic violence or drug or alcohol addiction. In other cases, the kids themselves may express fear, anxiety and regret about their visits, even if they are not specific about why they do not want to go back to visitation.

There are some reasons to refuse visitation, particularly if a parent has good reason to believe that the child will be in danger of physical abuse, sexual abuse or other types of violence. Parents do not have to force their children to go to visitation time if they refuse. If the situation is continuing, a concerned parent can think about pursuing a modification of the child custody agreement. This kind of petition should be supported with evidence.

Parents can have a difficult time sorting out child custody, and this can be exacerbated when serious concerns are involved. A family law attorney can help a parent to protect their children by seeking a revised child custody order.