Bill foresees joint custody of children

A bill reforming family law for the first time in about 40 years will be introduced in Parliament in the coming days, introducing joint custody of children.

The new legislation stipulates that the child can spend one-third of the time with the parent they don't live with, instead of just the occasional weekend or holiday provided for currently.

The bill encourages the parents to make joint decisions about the child's welfare and provides for arbitration by experts in case of differences. It also provides for sanctions against parents that try to estrange the child from the other.