Child Custody Lawyers

Custody, Care & Control, and Access in Singapore

When parents file for divorce in Singapore, the Family Justice Courts issue orders to protect and safeguard the children’s welfare.  These orders cover 3 key areas: 

• Custody – who makes the major, long-term decisions (education, healthcare, religion, major travel).
• Care & Control – who the child lives with day-to-day and who makes routine, daily decisions.
• Access – the time and arrangements the non-residential parent has with the child.

Below is a clear, up-to-date guide to how Singapore courts approach these issues, what orders are common, and how you can prepare a strong, child-centred case.

The Paramount Principle

Under Singapore law, the child’s welfare is paramount. The court will choose the arrangement that best serves the child’s overall well-being – not either parent’s preferences. In practice, the court:

• Promotes ongoing, meaningful relationships with both parents (where safe).
• Encourages low-conflict, child-focused co-parenting.
• Looks at facts, not labels: each family’s history, caregiving pattern, and the child’s needs.

Custody Orders

What “custody” covers: big-ticket decisions – school placement, serious medical treatment, religious upbringing, and relocation.

Common orders

• Joint Custody (the norm): Parents must consult and agree on major decisions. This recognises that children generally benefit from two involved parents.
• Sole Custody (exceptional): Ordered where cooperation is unworkable or there are safety concerns (e.g., family violence, severe alienation, entrenched non-communication).

Note: Joint custody does not decide where the child lives. That’s “care & control”.

Care & Control

What it means: who the child lives with on a daily basis; this parent handles routine matters (bedtime, meals, homework, daily medical decisions).

Typical outcomes

• Sole Care & Control to one parent with liberal access to the other.
• Shared Care & Control (near-equal time) is rare and granted only when parents live close by, communicate well, and have shown a stable shared-care pattern.

Young children: Courts often maintain continuity of primary caregiving – who has provided the bulk of day-to-day care – unless there are compelling reasons to change.

Access

The court tailors access to the child’s age, school schedule, and the parents’ work patterns. Arrangements can include:

• Weekend/weekday access (e.g., alternate weekends; mid-week dinner).
• School holidays & public holidays (alternating or shared).
• Overnights (age- and needs-dependent).
• Video/phone contact (set times or reasonable).
• Supervised access (at a neutral venue) where safety or re-bonding is a concern.
• Supervised exchange/hand-overs to minimise conflict during pickups/drop-offs.

If cooperation is fragile, the court may order clear timetables, neutral venues, or third-party supervision (e.g., through community agencies) to stabilise access.

Parenting Plans (Required)

Where there is a child under 21, the court requires a Parenting Plan to be filed:

• Agreed Parenting Plan (uncontested cases) or Proposed Parenting Plan (contested).
• Covers: custody model, living arrangements, detailed access schedules, communication protocols, travel consent, schooling decisions, and dispute-resolution steps.

A precise plan reduces future conflicts and helps the court adopt workable, child-friendly orders.

Mandatory Co-Parenting Programme (CPP)

If you have a child under 21 and intend to file for divorce, both parents must complete the Co-Parenting Programme (CPP) before filing. Certificates of Completion are filed with the court. The CPP supports parents to:

• Understand divorce’s impact on children.
• Build practical co-parenting skills.
• Plan child-centred arrangements that reduce conflict.

(Separate programmes and services are available via MSF’s FAM@FSC network for counselling, supervised access, and hand-over support.)

Relocation and Travel

• Relocation (moving the child overseas): You must obtain the other parent’s written consent or leave of court. The court considers reasons for the move, the child’s ties in Singapore, schooling, and whether a realistic contact plan with the left-behind parent exists.
• Short-term travel: Many orders require advance notice and consent (or, failing agreement, an application to court). Provide itineraries and contact details.

Removing a child from Singapore without consent or court permission risks breaches of court orders and may trigger urgent applications.

Evidence the Court Looks For

• Caregiving history: who managed daily routines, clinics, school matters.
• Child’s needs: health, temperament, schooling, special needs, sibling bonds.
• Parental conduct: capacity to place the child first; willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent; any family violence.
• Practicality: work hours, proximity to school, home environment, support network.
• Child’s views: considered in an age-appropriate way; may be surfaced via a Child Representative or child-inclusive processes.

Enforcing and Varying Orders

• Enforcement tools
• Make-up access orders.
• Detailed directions to cure breaches (handover windows, neutral venues).
• Penal notice / contempt proceedings in serious or repeated non-compliance.
• Parenting Coordination to manage transitions in high-conflict cases.

Variation

Orders can be varied if there is a material change in circumstances (e.g., relocation, new schooling needs, persistent access breaches, or a meaningful shift in the child’s best interests).

Practical Tips to Strengthen Your Case

• Keep a calm, child-focused tone in messages; avoid accusations.
• Propose realistic, detailed schedules (term time, holidays, exams).
• Offer video calls and flexible contact around school events.
• Document caregiving involvement (school emails, clinic visits, teacher meetings).
• Protect the child from conflict – no coaching, no adult topics, no disparagement.

Courts look for parents who demonstrate cooperation and reliability.

How PKWA Law Can Help

• Strategy from day one: We map the likely outcomes against your facts and propose a child-centred plan the court can accept.
• Strong, clear Parenting Plans: Practical schedules, travel protocols, and dispute-resolution pathways that prevent future flashpoints.
• Negotiation & Mediation first: We resolve most cases without trial, reducing stress and cost while preserving co-parenting relationships.
• Court advocacy when needed: Decisive representation in applications on custody, care & control, access, relocation, and enforcement.
• Recognised expertise: PKWA’s family team is consistently ranked by The Straits Times, Doyles Guide, and Benchmark Litigation.

Speak to a PKWA Family Lawyer

Contact PKWA Law for a confidential consultation. We’ll assess your situation, explain likely outcomes, and help you secure a safe, stable, and child-centred arrangement.

Pricing varies

Please get in touch with us for an assessment.