Addressing Parenting Time in Child Support Orders: A Discussion of Relevant Research and Promising Practices

In recent years, the Office of Child Support Enforcement has supported several pilot programs aimed at establishing concurrent child support and parenting time orders. This webinar will first give a brief summary of important considerations regarding the prevalence of domestic violence survivors in the child support system, screening practices, and the relationship between parenting time, child support payment, and child well-being. Next, colleagues from the Texas Council on Family Violence will describe promising practices pertaining to the state child support system establishment of parenting time orders. They will share how collaborative efforts with the Texas Child Support Division have made the system safer for survivors of domestic violence. Because Texas is one of the few states with a longstanding mandate under state law to address parenting time in the child support process, our presenters can give a unique perspective on the potential and pitfalls for families experiencing domestic violence.