| Description |
xvii, E1-E5 pages, 379 pages : illustrations, graphs ; 30 cm |
| Contents |
Executive summary -- 1. Introduction, background and methodology -- 2. Characteristics of separated parents: Challenges and issues for family relationships and wellbeing -- 3. Use and effectiveness of new and expanded family relationship services -- 4. Pathways towards parenting arrangements -- 5. Family dispute resolution -- 6. Care-time arrangements: Community opinions, prevalence and durability of different arrangements, and trends across the years -- 7. Care-time arrangements: Negotiations and family profiles -- 8. Parental responsibility: Decision-making about issues affecting the child and financial support -- 9. Parental responsibility and time: Perspectives and practices of lawyers and other service providers -- 10. Family violence and child abuse: Parents' pathways and professionals' perspectives -- 11. Children's wellbeing -- 12. Grandparenting and the family law reforms -- 13. The 2006 reforms and the courts -- 14. The implementation of Division 12A of Part VII: Principles for conducting child-related proceedings -- 15. The application of the SPR Act 2006 amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 -- 16. Summary of key findings and conclusions -- Appendices |
| Summary |
In 2006, the Australian Government introduced a series of changes to the family law system and increased funding for new and expanded family relationships services, including the establishment of 65 Family Relationship Centres. The reforms aimed to bring about a cultural shift in the management of separation, away from litigation and towards co-operative parenting. A study was commissioned to evaluate the impact of the changes and the reform's effectiveness in achieving its policy aims. This report presents the findings of this evaluation, which drew upon 3 projects: the Legislation and Courts Project (LCP), which examined the implementation of the legislative reforms; the Service Provision Project (SPP), which examined changes to the service delivery system; and the Families Project (FP), which examined the experiences of separated families. These projects involved a longitudinal study of 10,000 separated parents, two quantitative studies based on general samples of parents, analysis of data from 1,724 pre- and post-reform court files, and surveys with professionals, clients, and grandparents. Chapters include: Characteristics of separated parents: challenges and issues for family relationships and wellbeing; Use and effectiveness of new and expanded family relationship services; Pathways towards parenting arrangements; Family dispute resolution; Care-time arrangements: community opinions, prevalence and durability of different arrangements, and trends across the years; Care-time arrangements: negotiations and family profiles; Parental responsibility: decision-making about issues affecting the child and financial support; Parental responsibility and time: perspectives and practices of lawyers and other service providers; Family violence and child abuse: parents' pathways and professionals' perspectives; Children's wellbeing; Grandparenting and the family law reforms; The 2006 reforms and the courts; The implementation of Division 12A of Part VII: principles for conducting child-related proceedings; the application of the SPR Act 2006 amendments to the Family Law Act 1975; Summary of key findings and conclusions |
| Notes |
"December 2009" |
|
"This report was commissioned by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs."--T.p. verso |
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"Rae Kaspiew, Matthew Gray, Ruth Weston, Lawrie Moloney, Kelly Hand, Lixia Qu and the Family Law Evaluation Team" |
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"Edited by Lan Wang, Lauren Di Salvia and Neil Conning"--T.p. verso |
| Bibliography |
Bibliography: pages 369-373 |
| Notes |
System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader required to view/print PDF files |
| Subject |
Australia. Family Law Act 1975.
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Australia. Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006
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Domestic relations -- Australia -- Evaluation.
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Family services -- Australia -- Evaluation.
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Separated parents -- Services for -- Australia -- Evaluation.
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Children of separated parents -- Services for -- Australia -- Evaluation.
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Law reform -- Australia.
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| Author |
Kaspiew, Rae.
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Australian Institute of Family Studies. Family Law Evaluation Team
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Australian Institute of Family Studies.
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Australia. Attorney-General's Department.
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Australia. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
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| ISBN |
9781921414220 paperback |
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