Children who have special needs because of a disability or medical condition rely on structure and certain things to live life. When a special needs child’s parents divorce, the fact that the child does have these extraordinary needs can pose a unique challenge in the child custody agreement. If you are facing a divorce and have a child with special needs, you should consider some important points.
One especially important consideration is how to cover medical bills that aren’t covered by the insurance. This might include the cost of equipment that the insurance won’t pay for or medications that have high co-pays. It could even include therapy options that the child benefits from but have been classified as unnecessary by the insurance company.
Another consideration is who is going to make decisions for the child. This can include medical and education decisions. It might be best for you and your ex to work out a deal that includes the process for making decisions. It might not always be possible to have a meeting about what will happen, so you may need to include stipulations for when a parent can make a decision without consulting the other parent.
You have to think about your child’s individual needs when you are coming up with the custody agreement. Staying a bit flexible when you are dealing with the issues at hand might help you to ensure that your child has what he or she needs. Thinking about what is best for your child can make it easier for you to make decisions that will make your child’s life a bit easier.
Source: FindLaw, “Divorce With Special Needs Child, Legal Considerations,” George Khoury, Esq., accessed Jan. 20, 2017
