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Shared Custody Arrangements:
Pilot Interviews With Parents

2004-FCY-5E

APPENDIX A: SHARED CUSTODY PARENT INTERVIEW GUIDE

PART I—FAMILY HISTORY

This first part of the interview is to obtain some background information about you, your children and your former spouse.

1. For how long were you married to your former spouse?
- 01 Less than 1 year
- 02 1 to less than 2 years
- 03 2 to less than 3 years
- 04 3 to less than 4 years
- 05 4 to less than 5 years
- 06 5 to less than 10 years
- 07 10 years and over
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
2. How long have you been separated (living apart) from your former spouse?
- 01 Less than 1 year
- 02 1 to less than 2 years
- 03 2 to less than 3 years
- 04 3 to less than 4 years
- 05 4 to less than 5 years
- 06 5 to less than 10 years
- 07 10 years and over
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

3. What are the sexes and current ages of the children from your relationship with your former spouse?

	First Name	Sex	Age
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Child 4
Child 5
Child 6
Child 7
Child 8
Child 9
Child 10
Child 11

98 Unknown
99 Refused

PART II—ARRANGEMENTS AT THE TIME OF SEPARATION

These next few questions are about your living arrangement immediately following separation from your partner.

4. In the period after you separated, what living arrangements did you have for each of the children from your marriage to your former spouse? (REPEAT FOR EACH CHILD. IF RESPONDENT SAYS THE ARRANGEMENT CHANGED OVER TIME, ASK FOR THE PREDOMINANT ARRANGEMENT IN THE POST-SEPARATION, PRE-DIVORCE PERIOD.)

	Shared custody (01)	Primarily Respondent (02)	Primarily Partner (03)	Neither parent (04)	Unknown (98)	Refused (99)
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Child 4
Child 5
Child 6
Child 7
Child 8
Child 9
Child 10
Child 11

98 Unknown
99 Refused

5. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very satisfied" and 5 being "not at all satisfied," how satisfied would you say you were in the period after the separation with these living arrangements?

Very satisfied 1 2 4 3 4 5 not at all satisfied
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
5a. If (3-5), What kind of arrangement would you have preferred?

97 Not applicable 98 Unknown 99 Refused
6. About how far apart did you and your former spouse live at the time of your separation? (IF CHANGED OVER TIME, ASK FOR DISTANCE FOR LONGEST LASTING ARRANGEMENT DURING THE PERIOD)
- 01 Walking distance
- 02 10 km (6 mi or 10 min by car)?
- 03 50 km (30 mi or 30 min by car)?
- 04 100 km (60 mi or l hr by car)?
- 05 200 km (120 mi or 2 hr by car)?
- 06 400 km (250 mi or 4 hr by car)?
- 07 1000 km (625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 08 Beyond 1000 km (Can or US; < 625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 09 Outside Canada or United States?
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
7. If a child/children did not live with respondent, Did you have access to the child/children, or were you able to visit?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
7a. If yes, How frequent were your visits?
- 01 Most days
- 02 Every weekend
- 03 Every weekend and one additional day
- 04 Every weekend and two additional days
- 05 Every second weekend
- 06 Every second weekend and one additional day
- 07 Every second weekend and two additional days
- 08 Bi-weekly
- 09 Monthly
- 10 Four times a year
- 11 Annually or less frequently
- 12 Other
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
8. Were there any arrangements for changeovers (pick-up and drop-off of the children) between you and your former spouse?
- Yes
- No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
8a. If yes, specify
9. In the period after the separation, were you and your former spouse able to reach a separation agreement yourselves, did you work through lawyers to settle areas of disagreement, or were some areas of disagreement settled in court?
- 01 No pre-divorce agreement
- 02 Reached agreement themselves
- 03 Agreement with lawyers
- 04 Court
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
10. What issues, if any, were contested?
- 01 Child support
- 02 Custody
- 03 Access
- 04 Spousal Support
- 05 Arrears
- 06 Award termination provision
- 07 Cost of living clause (inflation)
- 08 Review clause
- 09 Other:
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART III—ARRANGEMENTS AT THE TIME OF DIVORCE

The next few questions are about the living arrangements at the time of your divorce.

11. At the time of your divorce, what did your arrangement say about living arrangements for each of the children from your marriage to your former spouse? (REPEAT FOR EACH CHILD)

	Shared custody (01)	Primarily Respondent (02)	Primarily Partner (03)	Neither parent (04)	Unknown (98)	Refused (99)
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Child 4
Child 5
Child 6
Child 7
Child 8
Child 9
Child 10
Child 11

98 Unknown
99 Refused

12. Was this arrangement actually put in place, or were there parts of the formal divorce arrangement that were never really part of the living arrangements after the divorce?
- 01 Divorce arrangement actually put into place
- 02 Some parts not put in place
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
12a. If some parts not put in place, Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
13. How far apart did you and your former spouse live at the time of your divorce?
- 01 Walking distance
- 02 10 km (6 mi or 10 min by car)?
- 03 50 km (30 mi or 30 min by car)?
- 04 100 km (60 mi or l hr by car)?
- 05 200 km (120 mi or 2 hr by car)?
- 06 400 km (250 mi or 4 hr by car)?
- 07 1000 km (625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 08 Beyond 1000 km (Can or US; < 625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 09 Outside Canada or United States?
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
14. (IF THE CHILD/CHILDREN DID NOT LIVE WITH RESPONDENT) Did you have access to the child/children, or were you able to visit?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
14a. (If yes) How frequent were your visits?
- 01 Most days
- 02 Every weekend
- 03 Every weekend and one additional day
- 04 Every weekend and two additional days
- 05 Every second weekend
- 06 Every second weekend and one additional day
- 07 Every second weekend and two additional days
- 08 Bi-weekly
- 09 Monthly
- 10 Four times a year
- 11 Annually or less frequently
- 12 Other
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
15. Did the divorce arrangement result in changes in the way you and your former spouse arranged picking up/dropping off the children?
- 01 Yes, changes
- 02 No, no changes
- 03 No arrangements
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
15a. (If yes) Specify
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
16. At the time of the divorce, were you and your former spouse able to reach an agreement yourselves, did you work through lawyers or other professionals to settle areas of disagreement, or were some areas of disagreement settled in court?
- 01 Reached agreement themselves
- 02 Agreement with lawyers or other professionals
- 03 Court
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
17. What issues, if any, were contested?
- 01 Child support
- 02 Custody
- 03 Access
- 04 Spousal Support
- 05 Arrears
- 06 Award termination provision
- 07 Cost of living clause (inflation)
- 08 Review clause
- 09 Other:
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
18. Were there lawyers, mediators, social workers or any other professionals involved in the process leading to your court agreement?
- 01 Lawyer for respondent
- 02 Lawyer for respondent’s former spouse
- 03 Lawyer for government agency (welfare)
- 04 Mediator
- 05 Social Worker
- 06 Other:
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
18a. (If had professionals involved) What role would you say these professionals/this professional played in arriving at the arrangement that your divorce put in place?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
19. Did you take parenting courses during the divorce?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
20. Was a parenting plan part of your court agreement at the time of your divorce?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART IV—ARRANGEMENTS AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY

This next set of questions is about your current living/custody arrangements.

21. Since the time of your divorce, have there been changes in the living arrangements for any of your children?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
(IF NO, MOVE ON TO PART V)
22. Were these changes made informally between you and the other parent, or formally in court?
- 01 Informal
- 02 Formal Variation (How many)
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

23. What are the current living arrangements for each of the children from your marriage to your former spouse? (REPEAT FOR EACH CHILD)

	Shared custody (01)	Primarily Respondent (02)	Primarily Partner (03)	Neither parent (04)	Unknown (98)	Refused (99)
Child 1
Child 2
Child 3
Child 4
Child 5
Child 6
Child 7
Child 8
Child 9
Child 10

98 Unknown
99 Refused

24. How far apart do you and your former spouse live currently?
- 01 Walking distance
- 02 10 km (6 mi or 10 min by car)?
- 03 50 km (30 mi or 30 min by car)?
- 04 100 km (60 mi or l hr by car)?
- 05 200 km (120 mi or 2 hr by car)?
- 06 400 km (250 mi or 4 hr by car)?
- 07 1000 km (625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 08 Beyond 1000 km (Canada or US; < 625 mi or 10 hr by car)?
- 09 Outside Canada or United States?
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
25. (If a child/children does/do not live with respondent) Do you have access to the child/children, or are you able to visit?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
25a. (If yes) How frequent are your visits?
- 01 Most days
- 02 Every weekend
- 03 Every weekend and one additional day
- 04 Every weekend and two additional days
- 05 Every second weekend
- 06 Every second weekend and one additional day
- 07 Every second weekend and two additional days
- 08 Bi-weekly
- 09 Monthly
- 10 Four times a year
- 11 Annually or less frequently
- 12 Other
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
26. Are there any new arrangements for changeovers (pick-up and drop-off of the children) between you and your former spouse?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
26a. (If yes) Specify
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART V—PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES

These next questions are about how you and your former spouse have shared the responsibilities of raising your children (aside from living arrangements).

27. On a day-to-day basis there are many decisions parents make regarding their children. These may be decisions about their schooling, their religious upbringing, discipline, household rules about behaviour, bedtimes, recreation and sports and many other kinds of decisions.

At the time of separation, did you and your former spouse agree on how these kinds of decisions would be made that affect the children?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
28. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very satisfied" and 5 being "not at all satisfied," how satisfied would you say you were in the period after the separation with how decisions were made about the children?

Very satisfied 1 2 3 4 5 not at all satisfied
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
28a. (If 3-5) What were you dissatisfied with?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
29. Did the arrangement for decision-making change when the divorce arrangement was first in place?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
29a. (If yes) Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
30. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very satisfied" and 5 being "not at all satisfied," how satisfied would you say you were in the period immediately after the divorce with how decisions were made about the children?

Very satisfied 1 2 3 4 5 not at all satisfied
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
30a. (If 3-5) What were you dissatisfied with?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
31. Has the arrangement for decision-making changed between the time of the divorce and now?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
31a. (If yes) Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
32. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very satisfied" and 5 being "not at all satisfied," how satisfied would you say you are now with how decisions were made about the children?

Very satisfied 1 2 3 4 5 not at all satisfied
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
32a. (If no) What are you dissatisfied with?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

32. Even with shared custody, some division of parenting responsibilities is common. I’d like to read you a list of common areas of parenting responsibility. Thinking now about the period after you separated and before your divorce, can you tell me, for each of these areas, if it is an area that you were primarily responsible for, an area that your former spouse was primarily responsible for, or an area that was shared? Are there other areas where responsibility is divided?

	Primarily Respondent (01)	Primarily Former spouse (02)	Shared (03)
Medical (doctor, dentist)
Schooling (homework, meetings with teachers, attending events)
Sports or recreational activities
Shopping for clothing, equipment, other non-food necessities
Religious upbringing
Organizing Day Care

98 Unknown
99 Refused

34. Did the division of responsibilities change as a direct result of the divorce arrangement?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
34a. (If yes) Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
35. Has the division of responsibilities changed between the time of the divorce and now?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
35a. (If yes) Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

That’s all the questions I have for you. Thank-you very much for participating in our research. Do you think you would like to receive a summary report of what the research tells us? If so, what address should we send it to? (It will be the fall before a report is ready).

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Shared Custody Arrangements:Pilot Interviews With Parents