When you have separated or divorced from your spouse, you will need to determine where your children will live, and how often they will see the other parent. One of the best things you can do to secure custody of your children is to request an order of temporary child custody. As the name suggests  temporary child custody refers to the awarding of child custody for a short time, while the parents organise their situation. Temporary custody can lead to permanent custody, so be careful when you are considering allowing your soon to be ex spouse to have temporary custody of your child.

Child custody is one of the most important parts of the separation process. Seperations are made even more difficult when children are involved. While you are in the process of divorcing or separating from your husband/wife/partner, your children still needs care and a place to live. In many cases, custody will be awarded to the parent who seems the most reasonable, and the most likely to adhere to the custody agreement. Remember that the decision of custody will be based on what is best for the child, not what is best for the parent. It is important that you show how you can and will put the childs requirements first.

Joint custody is usually the preferred route, though very small children may have only a sole physical residence (sole physical custody). The best way to work out your separation and child custody is to make arrangements that both parents can live with. If you are unwilling or unable to reach an agreement with your soon to be former spouse, the court will decide one for you and it will be completely out of your control, that may not be a situation you are happy with. The other side to that is that if your spouse is totally unwilling to meet you half way, the court can also force them to compromise. When you make the decision to separate from your spouse, you should begin planning your child custody case, temporary and permanent.