BEST INTERESTS (OF THE CHILD)

A family court test that is used in making important decisions regarding the care of a child and who may receive custody of a child. When certain extreme decisions need to be made, such as removing a child from a home, awarding an adoption, awarding custody to a parent and other such decisions, the court will take into account several factors to determine the best course of action that would yield the best result for the child (as opposed to anyone else such as a parent.) These factors may include the child’s gender, age, mental and physical condition, lifestyle of each parent, social factors such as schooling, location of each parent in relation to items of important to the child such as long time friends and other social factors, ability of a parent to provide food, shelter, clothing, schooling and medical care and, of course, the child’s own preference.