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→Introduction
*the child's age and stage of development,
*any arrangements that have already been made for siblings, and
*any limitations on a spousesspouse' s parenting capacity.
A spouse's access to a child is entirely different and separate from their obligation to pay child support. Child support is not a fee paid to exercise access, nor is it a fee charged to allow access. Child support is paid by one spouse to the other to help cover the <span class="noglossary">costs</span> associated with raising the child and to help ensure that the child has as positive and as enriching a childhood as possible. Access, on the other hand, is the <span class="noglossary">privilege</span> of a spouse to visit and spend time with their child, so that the child can have the benefit of a strong, loving , and meaningful relationship with both spouses.
Other people, usually relatives of the child like a grandparent, can have custody or access to a child. To apply for an order for custody or access, people who aren't spouses must first get the court's permission, and then make their application. Applications like these aren't very common.