Who co-parents? A study of the determinants of shared versus sole physical custody arrangements in the Netherlands

In light of the adverse consequences of divorce for children, the Dutch government stimulates shared parenting after divorce or separation. In 1998 joint legal authority became obligatory and a new 2009 law stipulates that children have the right to equal care of both parents. Shared residence, also called co-parenting, is the prime example of equal care, and this type of living arrangement has been on the rise since the late 1990s. Although it is implicitly assumed that co-parenting is good for children, the effects in part depend upon who opts for co-parenting.