Child custody is one of the most sensitive issues in a divorce, and in some cases, it is a complicated matter. It is natural for a parent to want some control or influence in their child’s life. For example, the parent could be concerned about their child’s whereabouts or who the child is around when they are with their ex-spouse. There are several factors that need to be considered to determine if the parent has the right to know who their child is around. To learn more, please continue reading.

Types of Child Custody 

• Sole Custody: In sole custody, only one parent is awarded the physical and legal custody of the child.  
• Legal Custody: Either or both parents can have legal custody of the child. This means they have the legal authority to make important decisions in the child’s life.
• Joint Custody: In joint custody, both parents share the legal or physical custody, or both, of the child.
• Physical Custody: Physical custody or residential custody gives a parent the right to keep their child with them at their residence for the majority of the time, while the other parent may be awarded visitation rights.

Your Rights as a Parent Depend on the Custody Order 

When you and your ex-spouse have entered a child custody order, you can have the right to know where your child stays and who is with them during their visiting time with the other parent. In some cases, the child custody order requires the parent to share this information with the other parent. According to the Law Office of Cosmas Onyia | Child Custody Lawyer, if the other parent violates the custody order, you can take the matter to court to enforce the custody agreement.

However, if the custody order does not require the other parent to disclose the child’s whereabouts, you could request the other parent to do so; however, you don’t have any legal grounds to seek this information. Escalating the issue through a confrontation with the ex-spouse can be bad for your parenting arrangement. Instead, you can communicate with the other parent to devise a mutually acceptable plan for a child custody arrangement.

If you feel the child custody order needs to be modified, you may need to file a petition. The child’s other parent must agree on altering the custody order; otherwise, you will have to contest the custody order in court. The family law court would consider your child’s best interests when making any modifications to the custody order.

If there is no child custody agreement between you and the other parent, you cannot dispute not being informed about the child’s whereabouts. It is always best to have a solid child custody agreement in place.

Typically, even if the other parent does not have physical custody of the child, they might have the right to unsupervised child visitation. You may be tempted to keep a check on your child by monitoring their location during these scheduled visitations, but engaging in this kind of behavior without informing the other parent or the child can breed distrust in the relationship. For example, If your child finds out that you are tracking their location or trying to find out who they are with, the child could get the impression that you do not trust them.