Over one in four children whose parents divorce end up dividing their time between two homes, according to Utrecht researcher Ed Spruijt.

Three years ago, 20% of children lived with both parents after divorce, but that has now risen to 27%. And in 2000, just 5% of divorced parents shared responsibility for their children, the research quoted by Trouw shows.

The change in family situation has also led to a relatively new phenomenon – the part-time step-parent, Spruijt’s research shows. Some 35% of children in a co-parenting situation gain a part-time stepmother and a stepfather.

Children who live with co-parents tend to do well on the whole. ‘The key thing about co-parenting is that the ex-partners are less likely to get involved in arguments than other divorced parents,’ Spruijt told Trouw.