Living conditions of children following divorce

In 2009, 160,000 minors experienced the divorce of their parents (or the rupture of their Civil Solidarity Pact, PACS). According to tax declarations, one year after the event, 76% of them were mainly under the care of their mother and 9% mainly under the care of their father. Alternating custody, which increased during the 2000s, was the case for 15% of children. This type of arrangement was more common among wealthy households and in certain departments. Half of the children remained in the original home the year after the divorce. Even in the case of relocation, 95% of children stayed in the same department after the separation. When custody was granted to the mother, six out of ten mothers reported that they were receiving an allowance. In half of the cases, this represented more than 18% of their declared income. It was less than 100 euros a month per child for 20% of divorces, with the median pension being 150 euros.