At the core of all child custody determinations is one goal: providing the child with the arrangement that is in his or her best interest. This is not a subjective determination; it is based on a set of factors that include the following: Whether there is a history of domestic violence with either parent; Which parent acted as the primary caregiver for the child; Each parent’s current physical and mental health state; Each parent’s willingness to cooperate with the other and the court; Any special needs the child has and each parent’s ability to provide for these needs; Each parent’s work schedule and financial capacity to care for a child.