Child Custody Reference Letter

When a person is seeking her/his child's custody in case of a divorce, among all the necessary legalities, providing a character reference letter for child custody is also one of them. Who writes such a letter? A character reference letter is written by someone who knows this individual as a parent, who has seen her/him spend time with her/his child, and knows that this individual is capable of raising her/his child single-handedly. This writer may be a relative, a neighbor, or simply a friend. A child custody reference letter is not the only thing that vouches for an individual's capability as a parent. However, it does gives her/him an additional push, and a well-written letter will definitely make any difference that is necessary in turning the tables in her/his favor.

How to Write a Character Reference Letter for Child Custody?

If you are the writer of such a letter, you have to follow certain guidelines in writing the letter. Such a letter is informal and straight from the heart. It speaks of the person as a parent and no other issue pertaining to child custody is discussed. An appeal is made to provide custody of the child based on the information you have provided in the letter. A simple template for such a letter is as follows:

• Name and address of the receiver.
• Salutation or 'To Whomsoever it May Concern' if you don't know whom the letter is to be addressed to.
• Self-introduction in the first paragraph and relation with the person whom you are writing the letter for.
• Your perception and evidence of the person's capability as a parent.
• Final request to grant the person's appeal for child custody.
• Valediction.
• Your signature and name.

While the format and experience of each person may change, we have provided a sample letter here that will give you a better understanding of how such a letter is written.

Name of Addressee Designation Organization Name Organization Address Dear Ma'am/Sir, I write to you on behalf of my very good friend and brother-in-law, Stewart Aldrin, in support of obtaining the custody of his only child, Jake Aldrin. Stewart, apart from being a loving father, is also a great friend of his child. A lot of people tend to assume that fathers are unable to give their children enough quality time because of all their other commitments, but I have seen Stewart prove this belief wrong time and again. He makes sure he gets some amount of quality time with Jake every single day. He has imparted perfect family values to his child, and Jake is already a gentleman in the making. I am a regular visitor at Stewart's and share a close bond with Jake as well. I have never witnessed an unhappy moment with them together; though Stewart can be adequately assertive as he can be loving. Personally, I believe that Jake is in perfect hands and his childhood will be as smooth in the shadow of his nurturing father. As a witness of the bond that Stewart and Jake share, I sincerely hope Stewart is awarded custody of Jake. Thank you. Sincerely, Your Signature Name

As mentioned earlier, as the writer of the letter, it is your job to provide a sincere letter that vouches for the person's ability as a parent. If you are not convinced, do not agree to write such a letter. Any half-hearted appeal is evident and may not do the person any good. Instead, this person may have better benefited by getting the letter from another person who knew her/him equally well.