Research Brief: Parenting Time Opportunities for Children

Publication Date: October 1, 2019
Current as of:

Introduction

The attached 13-page brief  (PDF)summarizes findings from the five-site multi-year pilot grant, Parenting Time Opportunities for Children (PTOC). PTOC aimed to demonstrate that increasing safe opportunities for children to build relationships with both parents would result in improved financial and emotional support of children in the child support system.

Child support agencies in the following states operated the PTOC pilot:

  • California (San Diego County)
  • Florida (Miami-Dade County)
  • Indiana (Monroe County)
  • Ohio (Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Licking, Montgomery, Pickaway, Stark, and Wayne Counties)
  • Oregon (statewide)

PTOC demonstrated that child support agencies can incorporate parenting time orders into the child support establishment process, provided appropriate family violence safeguards are included. Independent evaluators contracted in each PTOC site confirmed that parents appreciated the opportunity to address parenting time, even though recruitment was a challenge initially. They also found that PTOC appears to help some parents with improved relationships, more time with their children, and some small increases in child support compliance.

Files