Co-Parenting with a Special Needs Child

Even when things are good, co-parenting can be one of the hardest things parents will ever do. In addition to negotiating child-support payments and parenting arrangements, there are a lot of emotions involved in co-parenting a child. But all of this can become even more challenging when you’re co-parenting a child with special needs. If you’re co-parenting with a special needs child, here are a few tips to help make the co-parenting relationship smoother and focus on your child.

Who is taking care of the child?

When there’s a child with special needs, oftentimes one of the parents will become the primary caregiver of the child. When parents are going through a divorce, they may be able to come to an agreement between the two of them as to who the primary caregiver is going to be.

Oftentimes, the court will grant this parent full decision-making responsibility (formerly custody) or ensure the child is living with the parent who is providing the majority of care.

It is important that the complete needs of the child are documented in the separation or divorce agreement so that you can ensure your child’s needs are fully met through the divorce and after everything is finalized.

What are the financial obligations?

Children with special needs will often require care and resources at an additional cost – so who is responsible for paying for those?

When you’re the parent with decision-making responsibility, it can feel all-consuming and providing that care may last well into their adult years. On top of the regular child support, there may be additional support costs to help ensure proper care is taken and your child’s needs are being met.

Make sure you document with your lawyer all of these needs. You may even want to engage with a financial planner to make sure your child is going to be properly taken care of.

Creating a parenting plan

This plan is a written document that outlines how both parents will work together (or not) to parent their child as he or she grows up. This plan will often cover topics like who makes medical decisions (whether it’s done together, or if one parent has the right to make these choices on their own), how you will communicate with each other to share information and how much time each parent spends with the child, and when.

This kind of plan is especially important for children with special needs because their care often does not end when they go off to college or move out – they may always need assistance or resources that other young adults do not need.

It also allows for compromises to be made, and for parents to address special situations as they come up. Ensuring compromises are being made and all situations are being addressed, is in the best interests of your child. It is important for them to know they are still being looked after and feel loved even though their parents are divorced.

Contact Fine and Associates today

If you are going through a divorce and struggling with the challenges that come with co-parenting a special needs child, we can help. Schedule a free consultation or call Fine and Associates today to speak with one of our family lawyers.