The report shows that children have relatively little influence on visitation, something greater influence on residency, but relatively large influence on when it will actually stay with the visiting parent. In line with current legislation strengthened child influence with increased age. Degree of influence varies otherwise with a variety of conditions. Location parents report greater influence for their children than visitation parents, and reported greater influence when the child lives with the father than with their mother. Parents who are unhappy with the agreement, and parents who have a thorny relationship, report less influence for the kids than satisfied and cooperative parents.
The study confirms the need for greater efforts to ensure that children are included and heard in connection with the establishment of residence and visitation agreements, but also a need to include children as informants in studies when the aim is to assess children and young people's influence on their residence and visitation arrangements when parents do not live together.
