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Shared Custody Arrangements:
Pilot Interviews With Parents

2004-FCY-5E

APPENDIX A: SHARED CUSTODY PARENT INTERVIEW GUIDE (cont'd)

PART VI—EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH SHARED CUSTODY

The next set of questions is about the costs of raising your children in two households.

36. Thinking about your formal divorce arrangement, can you tell me, for the following types of child-related expenses, whether the arrangement says it is primarily you who should pay for them, primarily your former spouse, or if the expense should be shared between the two of you? Are there any other types of expenses that your divorce arrangement specifies?

	Primarily Respondent (01)	Primarily Former spouse (02)	Shared (03)	No reference in arrangement (04)	Unknown (98)
Food
Clothing
Furniture
Medical/dental
Sports and recreation
Hobbies
Travel
School-related

98 Unknown
99 Refused

37. Is there a provision for child support in your divorce arrangement?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
37a. (If yes) Can you tell me what the child support arrangement is?
- 01 Respondent pays child support
- 02 Former spouse pays child support
- 03 Other:
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
37b. How much child support is required to be paid per month?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
38. Was the child support amount based on Alberta’s child support guidelines?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

39. Now thinking about how expenses are actually being divided, can you tell me, for those same types of child-related expenses, whether it is primarily you who pays, primarily your former spouse, or if the expense is shared between the two of you?

	Primarily Respondent (01)	PrimarilyFormer spouse (02)	Shared (03)	No expenses (04)	Unknown (98)
Food
Clothing
Furniture
Medical/dental
Sports and recreation
Hobbies
Travel
School-related

98 Unknown
99 Refused

40. Since the divorce arrangement, have there been additional expenses that were not anticipated?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

40a. (If yes) What kind of additional expenses? Who is paying those expenses?

(CHECK ONLY THOSE EXPENSE ITEMS IDENTIFIED BY RESPONDENT)

	Primarily Respondent (01)	Primarily Former spouse (02)	Shared (03)
Food
Clothing
Furniture
Medical/dental
Sports and recreation
Hobbies
Travel
School-related

97 Not applicable
98 Unknown
99 Refused

41. (If yes to Question 40) How did you and your former spouse come to an agreement about who should pay these additional expenses?
- 01 Reached a mutually satisfactory agreement ourselves
- 02 Mediated settlement
- 03 Went to court
- 04 Reached agreement through lawyer
- 05 Did not reach an agreement
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
42. How do you and your former spouse deal with the sharing of small or incidental expenses related to the children, such as money for allowances, purchases of clothing, incidental school fees, personal health needs?
- 01 We each pay them as required
- 02 Respondent usually pays
- 03 Former spouse usually pays
- 04 Other
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
43. Do you anticipate that your divorce arrangement may have to be changed in the future to deal with new circumstances?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
43a. (If yes) What type of events or expenses do you think might require changes to the existing arrangement?
- 01 One parent moves away, thus costs associated with travel
- 02 Child may attend university/college/other training program
- 03 Major medical or dental costs
- 04 Child moves out
- 05 Other
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

44. What would you estimate that you spend in an average month on the following types of expenses?

	Average Expense	Monthly / Yearly
Housing (rent/mortgage)	$	M Y
Household maintenance and repairs	$	M Y
Utilities	$	M Y
Clothing (kids only)	$	M Y
Furniture (kids related)	$	M Y
Toys	$	M Y
Sports and recreation	$	M Y
Hobbies	$	M Y
Travel	$	M Y
School supplies	$	M Y

98 Unknown
99 Refused

45. Are there currently any areas of disagreement between you and your former spouse over financial issues?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
45a. (If yes) What areas of disagreement? (LET RESPONDENT IDENTIFY AREAS)
- 01 Child support
- 02 Expenses related to original family home
- 03 Regular expenses (e.g. food, clothing)
- 04 Travel costs related to parenting
- 05 Sports and recreation expenses
- 06 Unanticipated expenses (e.g. school, medical)
- 07 Other
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
45b. (If yes to Q45) How do you go about resolving those disagreements?
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART VII—RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS

This part of the survey asks questions about the nature of the relationship between you and your former spouse.

46. How often are you and your former spouse in contact with one another?
- 01 Most days
- 02 Weekly
- 03 Monthly
- 04 Occasionally
- 05 Rarely
- 06 Never
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
47. What means of contact do you and your former spouse most often have with one another?
- 01 By phone
- 02 In person
- 03 By mail/e-mail
- 04 Mainly via the children
- 05 Other
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
48. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very friendly" and 5 being "very hostile," how would you characterize the nature of your contact with your former spouse?

Very friendly 1 2 3 4 5 very hostile
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
49. In the event of an emergency, do you rely on your former spouse to provide childcare or to pick up the children?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 03 Never thought about it
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
50. Before you separated, how did you and your former spouse make decisions about raising the children?
- 01 Discussed parenting issues on a regular on-going basis
- 02 Discussed issues as situations arose
- 03 Both just made decisions as they arose
- 04 Respondent usually made the decisions
- 05 Former spouse usually made the decisions
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
51. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very supportive" and 5 being "not at all supportive," how supportive would you say your former spouse is of your parenting decisions?

Very supportive 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all supportive
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
52. On a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very frequently" and 5 being "never," how often since the separation do you and your former spouse discuss parenting issues together?

Very frequently 1 2 3 4 5 Never
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
53. Are there currently any areas of disagreement between you and your former spouse regarding raising and caring for the children, other than financial issues?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
53a. (If yes) What are those areas of disagreement?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
53b. (If no) How do you think you and your former spouse are able to avoid disagreements?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART VIII—OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN

This part of the interview asks you to evaluate the impact of shared custody on your children.

54. Overall, how happy do you think the children are with the current living arrangements, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very happy" and 5 being "very unhappy?"

Very happy 1 2 3 4 5 Very unhappy
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
54a. What, if anything, do you think contributes to your children being happy with the current arrangements?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
54b. What, if anything, do you think contributes to your children being unhappy with the current arrangements?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
55. Have you noticed any changes in your children’s behaviour under the current living arrangements (remind them it can be positive or negative change)?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
55a. (If yes) Please describe these changes.
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
55b. (If yes to Q55) What do you think is responsible for these changes?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
56. Do you notice any differences in the children’s behaviour when they first return from their other parent’s home (remind them it can be positive or negative change)?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
56a. (If yes) Please describe these changes.
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
56b. (If yes to Q56) What do you think is responsible for these changes?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
57. Despite your best intentions, how often would you say the children are caught in the middle of disagreements between you and your former spouse, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very frequently" and 5 being "never?"

Very frequently 1 2 3 4 5 Never
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
58. If it was up to you, is there any change in the living arrangements that you think might have worked better for the children?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
58a. (If yes) What changes do you think would have worked better?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART IX—PARENTAL SATISFACTION

This part of the interview looks at your overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the current shared custody arrangement.

59. Overall how satisfied would you say you are with the shared parenting arrangement currently in place, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being "very satisfied" and 5 being "very dissatisfied?"

Very satisfied 1 2 3 4 5 Very dissatisfied
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
59a. What, if anything, do you find satisfactory about the current arrangements?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
59b. What, if anything, do you find unsatisfactory about the current arrangements?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
60. Thinking specifically of the formal arrangements that were set out in your divorce that relate to the children, did you find them to be satisfactory?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
60a. (If yes) What was it about those divorce arrangements that you liked?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
60b. (If no) What was it about the divorce arrangements that you did not like?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
61. Would you say that you and your former spouse strictly adhered to the formal divorce arrangements, or have you found that between the two of you, you have made adjustments to accommodate your circumstances?
- 01 Both strictly adhere
- 02 Made adjustments together
- 03 Former spouse strictly adheres, but I sometimes do not
- 04 I adhere strictly, but former spouse sometimes does not
- 05 Other
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
62. What conditions do you think need to be in place for shared custody to be a workable arrangement?
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
62. Do you believe that factors not directly related to raising the children, such as the amount of child support required, or disagreements about the division of your marital assets, have affected the ability to make shared custody work?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
63a. (If yes) What are those factors, and how have they affected the shared custody arrangement?
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART X—DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

64. There are just a few more questions to help us clarify your responses.

(RECORD SEX OF RESPONDENT)
- 01 Male
- 02 Female
65. Which of the following age groups do you fall into?
- 01 18-24
- 02 25-30
- 03 31-35
- 04 36-40
- 05 41-45
- 06 46-50
- 07 51-55
- 08 56-60
- 09 More than 60 years old
- 99 Refused
66. What is the language you first learned in childhood and can still understand?
- 01 English
- 02 French
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
- Other
67. What language do you currently speak at home?
- 01 English
- 02 French
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
- Other
68. What is the highest level of education that you have attained?
- 01 No education
- 02 Some elementary school
- 03 Completed elementary school
- 04 Some high school
- 05 Completed high school
- 06 Some tech/vocational/community college
- 07 Completed tech/vocational/community college
- 08 Some undergraduate courses
- 09 Completed undergraduate degree
- 10 Some graduate courses
- 11 Completed graduate degree
- 12 Other:
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
69. Are you currently working outside the home for pay?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
69a. (If yes) Are you ....?
- 01 Working full-time
- 02 Working part-time
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
69b. (If no) Are you ....?
- 01 A homemaker?
- 02 Retired/pensioned?
- 03 A student?
- 04 Unemployed?
- 05 On leave/disability/illness/accident?
- 06 Other (specify)
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
70. Into which of the following groups does your total annual personal, before tax income fall?
- 01 No personal income
- 02 Under $15,000
- 03 $15,000 to $19,999
- 04 $20,000 to $29,999
- 05 $30,000 to $39,999
- 06 $40,000 to $49,999
- 07 $50,000 to $59,999
- 08 $60,000 to $69,999
- 09 $70,000 to $79,999
- 10 $80,000 to $89,999
- 11 $90,000 to $99,999
- 12 $100,000 to $149,999
- 13 $150,000 and over
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
71. Into which of the following groups does your total household, before tax income fall?
- 01 No personal income
- 02 Under $15,000
- 03 $15,000 to $19,999
- 04 $20,000 to $29,999
- 05 $30,000 to $39,999
- 06 $40,000 to $49,999
- 07 $50,000 to $59,999
- 08 $60,000 to $69,999
- 09 $70,000 to $79,999
- 10 $80,000 to $89,999
- 11 $90,000 to $99,999
- 12 $100,000 to $149,999
- 13 $150,000 and over
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused

PART XI—INTERVIEW WITH CHILDREN

72. As a follow-up to interviews such as this one with parents, we may be interested in talking to some children about how they have experienced their new living arrangements after separation. The focus would be on hearing their point of view about shared custody, and how well it works for them. If you were asked about the possibility of your children participating in an interview of this kind, do you think you would agree?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 03 Not sure
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
73. Are there conditions that you would want to see in place before you would agree?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
73a. (If yes) Describe
- 97 Not applicable
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
73b. Do you think your children would agree to participate?
- 01 Yes
- 02 No
- 98 Unknown
- 99 Refused
74. We will be contacting other parents in Alberta with shared custody arrangements for similar interviews, including your former spouse. Do you have a current phone number where he/she could be reached?

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