Americans believe children of divorce should split time with parents
Core finding
Two-thirds of adults (66.1%) say the best arrangement for children after a separation or divorce is about equal time with both parents, regularly alternating between homes. Just 3.5% say living with the mother all of the time is best, and 0.8% say the father all of the time.
The preference for keeping children with family carries into removal cases. When children cannot live with their biological parents, 48.4% say legal guardianship with a relative is usually better than adoption.
Equal time is the clear favorite
About two-thirds of adults (66.1%) say children whose parents separate or divorce are best off spending about equal time with both parents, regularly alternating between homes.
Another 18.1% say living with both parents but mostly with the mother is best. Full-time arrangements draw little support: 3.5% say the mother all of the time and 0.8% say the father all of the time.
Topline
66.1% say about equal time with both parents is the best arrangement after a separation or divorce; just 3.5% say the mother all of the time.
n = 1,000 · Jun 3–8, 2026 · MoE ±3.1%
Relatives beat adoption when parents are out
When children cannot live with their biological parents because of abuse and neglect, 48.4% of adults say legal guardianship with a relative is usually better than adoption, while 19.9% say adoption is usually better.
Another 31.7% see the two as similar. Adults 18-29 call them similar far more often than adults 65 and older (47.9% vs 21.2%).
Topline
48.4% say guardianship with a relative is usually better than adoption; 19.9% say adoption is usually better.
n = 1,000 · Jun 3–8, 2026 · MoE ±3.1%
Broad support for checking on newborns
About two-thirds of adults (65.5%) say Child Protective Services should always assess a newborn's safety before hospital discharge if the parents previously lost custody of other children due to abuse and neglect. Another 27.9% say sometimes, and just 2.4% say never.
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Jun 3–8, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.1% |
| Module | A |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026
To live with…
- reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026
Should Child Protective Services assess the safety of newborns prior to hospital discharge if their parents previously lost custody to other children due to abuse and neglect?
- reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026
When children cannot live with their biological parents due to abuse and neglect, is it better for them to reside in legal guardianship with a relative or to be adopted?
Cite this topic
Verasight PAA Omnibus Survey #2026-051, fielded June 3-8, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.1%.