When you are looking into child custody and all the different things that you will have to do it can all feel a little overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know how to get started.
In order to help you in that process it is useful to keep in mind the planning stages of a custody case, and ensure that all of the different planning stages are properly covered before you move forward.
And the first stage in that process is to seek out good advice as soon as you get started, so that you don't feel overwhelmed down the track.
There are over 13.
7 million single parents in the United States, who are bringing up over 21.
8 million children according to the November 2009 Census.
So you can rest assured that you are not alone, and that other people have already trod the path that you are going through.
What this means in practice is that there are a lot of people who can give you advice about the process, and who may be able to help you in planning out your optimum custody strategy.
You will also find that there are a lot of single parent groups that can help, as well as books, websites and other resources that can really delve down into the knitty gritty legal detail of what you will have to do.
You can also turn to help to internet forums and government support networks which you can find out about either online, or through your local library.
When it comes to child custody advice there is a lot of support available, so make sure you use it.