Joint custody benefits fathers and children, Ifo study finds

A new study by the Ifo Institute, based on an analysis of 56,188 court rulings from Swedish district courts between 1992 and 2021, suggests that joint custody after separation provides economic and health benefits for fathers and children.

According to the findings, fathers with joint custody see increased income, particularly those at lower income levels, and a 17 percentage point decrease in the likelihood of using antidepressants. Children also show improved academic test results and higher rates of attending better schools. The study noted no measurable disadvantages for mothers and found no evidence that joint custody increases the risk of domestic violence.

In a related discussion on legal frameworks, legal expert Helmut Kirchhof notes that modern family structures often clash with traditional child support laws. While the residence model—where a child lives primarily with one parent—is straightforward, conflicts arise in shared care arrangements. Under current laws, even fathers who provide significant care and cover many daily expenses may still be required to pay standard child support if the legal center of care has not officially shifted to a parity-based shared model.