The Attorney General of Texas wants noncustodial parents to know that there are state programs to promote cooperative parenting. Visitation is just as important for the noncustodial parent as it is for the children. Studies show that the rewards often transcend just spending quality time with each other.
There are currently nearly 1.5 million children that are supposed to be receiving child support in Texas. According to reports, parents that continue to consistently spend time with their children after a divorce or separation also tend to consistently fulfill their child support obligation. It was also discovered that when parents regularly pay child support, the children don’t have as many behavior issues or drop out of school as often as children whose parents don’t regularly pay child support.
To help noncustodial parents remain a part of their children’s lives, the Attorney General’s Office maintains a directory of programs in the child support section of its website that are available in each zip code. Our state is also the only one that has a hotline where parents can call in and ask attorneys questions about child support, visitation, custody and other family matters. The attorneys on the hotline only provide basic information, so once callers have been given options, they may be advised to hire their own counsel.
Except under extreme circumstances, all noncustodial parents have the right to visitation with their children. Just because a couple is no longer together, that does not mean either party stops being a parent. Few people would argue with the fact that children need both of their parents in order to be happy and grow up well-adjusted.
Source: kaufmanherald.com, Shared parenting services encourage cooperation in the child support process, No author, Sept. 11, 2013
