The study is a cross-sectional study based on individual register data comprising the whole Swedish population. The dataset that has been used consists of all children (0–17 years) in Sweden 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. The share of children that find themselves living in separated and reconstituted households is highly dependent of the age of the children. In 2005, about 27% of all children in Sweden below 18 years of age lived in one-adult or reconstituted households. For each selected year, there are approximately 2,000,000 cases. The aim of this study is to analyze the geographical distance between children and absent parents, i.e. parents living in another (divorced/separated or reconstituted) household. Using Swedish register data, and applying quantitative methodology, we strive towards gaining an understanding of the development and determinants of the distance between children and absent parents. Furthermore the study aims to discuss the separated families mobility constraints. Shorter distances between children and absent parent have become more common. There might be several reasons behind this. Separated families tend to keep short distances to their children in a separation in order to maintain the contact with the children and avoid long travels for the children between the two parents home. More than three quarter of all absent parents have less than 50 kilometers to their children. This finding also indicates a geographical constraint in the mobility pattern among these families.