What is joint physical care?
Joint Physical Care (JPC) is when both parents share physical placement of the child(ren). Simply defined, joint physical care allows the child(ren) to live with each parent 50% of the time during the year. Research has shown that child(ren) need equal access to both parents and joint physical care accomplishes this challenge. Parenting schedules are established to determine when each parent has the child(ren) living with them. The most frequent joint physical care schedule is one week at moms, the next week at dads, and holidays are usually alternated. The State of Iowa, allows parents to determine what parenting schedule best meets the needs of their child(ren). Joint physical care is established in Iowa Statute 598.41(5)(a).
