Delt bosted (Shared Residence)

Definition

Delt bosted (shared residence / shared physical custody) is an arrangement where the child has their place of residence with both parents, often with roughly equal time in each home. Under the Children Act, parents can agree on the child residing with both of them, or with one of them.

Legal basis (high-level)

• Children Act (Barneloven) §36: allows parents to decide that the child shall reside with both parents or with one.
• Regjeringen guidance: explains that joint arrangements require consent for important decisions, including moving within Norway.
• Mediation duty: separated parents with children under 16 are generally required to attend mediation before bringing disputes to court.

When shared residence can work well

• Two “good-enough” homes: stability, routines, and safe caregiving in both households.
• Geography supports the child: school, friends, and activities remain workable with transfers.
• Conflict is managed: parents can cooperate, or use parallel parenting tools without constant negotiation.

When it becomes risky

• Persistent high conflict: repeated escalation can harm the child (especially at handovers).
• Long travel distances: undermine sleep, school continuity, and social life.
• Information asymmetry: one parent blocks school/health information or undermines day-to-day coordination.

Do Better Norge perspective: the “conflict incentive” problem

Courts may avoid ordering delt bosted when conflict is high. That creates a perverse incentive: if one parent escalates conflict, shared solutions become “unavailable.” Do Better Norge argues for:

• Objective criteria (caregiving history, stability, proximity, child’s needs) rather than labels.
• Early, enforceable routines to reduce conflict triggers (handover location, communication channels, rules).

A practical shared-residence plan (template)

• Schedule: weekly pattern + holidays + travel days.
• School/health: both parents listed as contacts; shared calendar; consent rules.
• Communication: one written channel, short messages, response windows.
• Handover: neutral place if needed; no discussions in front of the child.
• Review points: evaluate after 8–12 weeks with concrete indicators (sleep, school, stress, transitions).

Evidence & research (context)

A systematic review commissioned by Norwegian authorities has summarized international research on outcomes for children in shared residence arrangements. Findings depend heavily on context—especially conflict levels, cooperation, and stability across homes.

Official sources

• The Children Act (English) – regjeringen.no
• Guidance on place of residence and contact – regjeringen.no
• Norwegian Institute of Public Health: shared residence review (PDF, Norwegian) – fhi.no

Do Better Norge note: Shared residence is not “one size fits all.” But when both parents are safe and capable, the system should avoid rewarding conflict and should prioritize the child’s right to meaningful relationships with both parents.