Perhaps one of the most single, heartbreaking things about a divorce may be the separation of a child or children from the single family unit that has, up until now, been the only world that they have known. This is likely to become a formative, even traumatic experience that can have psychological and emotional repercussions years down the line.

Despite the severe consequences that a divorce may impart to children, in some cases, it may really be the single best course of action for the family if it’s clear that things simply aren’t working out. It’s far better for children to live with the emotional effects of a divorce than to spend their entire childhood living in a fundamentally broken home.

Despite the inevitable emotional upheaval involved in a divorce, if there’s a question of custody for the children where the parents cannot come to an agreement, then there’s still one more hurdle to overcome. A child custody evaluation needs to be conducted.

Prepare Yourself & Your Children

A child custody evaluation is exactly what the name implies. This is a process by which the law will conduct a series of investigations into the financial, emotional and psychological states and needs of the children andweigh those against what each parent can provide.

This is going to be a stressful experience for everyone involved, and therefore you should take the time to prepare your children as well as yourself for the experience. What you want, or what the children want will certainly be taken into consideration during the evaluation, but will not be the only determining factors in awarding custody of the children.

If you take the time to discuss this with your divorce lawyer, you will get an in-depth breakdown of exactly how Pennsylvania courts operate and what you and your children can expect during this process. An experienced divorce lawyers like those of us at Zitomer Law, have been through this process many times, and are in a much more informed and better prepared position to help you get ready for this experience.

The best way to handle this situation is to take the time to explain what is happening to any children that are old enough to understand what’s going on. Being examined or evaluated is always a distressing experience for children, and this is especially true if they don’t know what’s happening or why. It’s always better to be honest with them if they are old enough to comprehend some of the situation, and this honesty may be critical in howthey respond during the evaluation.

Always Get Professional Advice

A child custody situation during divorce is not something you should try to handle by yourself. Normal divorce proceedings already cover many complex areas you may have not considered. This is merely exacerbated when children come into the equation. If you’re undergoing a divorce and there’s an issue of who the children will go to, seek legal counsel immediately. Get a divorce lawyer to help you.