The meaning of home for children following parental separation. This project aims to identify the meaning of home for children in separated families by interviewing children and parents about children’s experiences of home and homemaking. Since most children now traverse two households, there needs to be an increasing emphasis in policy, law and professional practice on listening to children regarding their post-separation living arrangements. By describing and analysing home for children, the p ....The meaning of home for children following parental separation. This project aims to identify the meaning of home for children in separated families by interviewing children and parents about children’s experiences of home and homemaking. Since most children now traverse two households, there needs to be an increasing emphasis in policy, law and professional practice on listening to children regarding their post-separation living arrangements. By describing and analysing home for children, the project will provide a solid basis for shifting the prevailing focus on parents’ needs in application of the law toward more child-responsive parenting arrangements. This new knowledge will support parents and professionals to achieve child-responsive approaches to post-separation parenting arrangements, reducing potentially adverse impacts of parental separation on children, and benefitting children, families and the community.Read moreRead less
The socio-legal implications of donor linking. This project aims to understand the impact of donor linking on individual and familial identities and relationships, and the consequences of the growing prevalence of non-statutory linking, such as direct-to-consumer genetic testing and online technologies, for formal regulatory frameworks. Donor linking is the process by which donor-conceived people, donors, and recipient parents access each other's identifying information. Australia is a world lea ....The socio-legal implications of donor linking. This project aims to understand the impact of donor linking on individual and familial identities and relationships, and the consequences of the growing prevalence of non-statutory linking, such as direct-to-consumer genetic testing and online technologies, for formal regulatory frameworks. Donor linking is the process by which donor-conceived people, donors, and recipient parents access each other's identifying information. Australia is a world leader in statutory linking, but reform has not been matched by equivalent levels of research on the consequences of the practice. This project will constitute an evidence-based platform from which donor-linking law, policy and services can develop domestically and overseas.Read moreRead less
Flexibility for working parents in the 'hybrid' fair work system. The Fair Work Act (2009) establishes a novel 'hybrid' system of workplace regulation encompassing individual rights and processes and a new collective bargaining regime. This project investigates how the new framework can be utilised to establish flexible working arrangements for the benefit of families, employers and society.
The Experiences of Parents and Children After Family Court Decisions About Relocation. This research will contribute to the improvement of decision-making about children in the family law system. It will enable an assessment of judicial decisions about whether a parent can relocate with children. It will make a unique contribution by gathering information from children and their parents about the effects of these decisions. The analysis will help parents, law-makers and judges to make better d ....The Experiences of Parents and Children After Family Court Decisions About Relocation. This research will contribute to the improvement of decision-making about children in the family law system. It will enable an assessment of judicial decisions about whether a parent can relocate with children. It will make a unique contribution by gathering information from children and their parents about the effects of these decisions. The analysis will help parents, law-makers and judges to make better decisions in this important and controversial area. This will have benefits for the happiness, health and prosperity of children and their parents. Better decision-making will also reduce the costs to government of family breakdown. Read moreRead less
WHY CONTACT ORDERS FAIL: ASSUMPTIONS AND REALITY. This project addresses the growing problem of Family Court litigation to enforce orders for parent-child contact after separation. Recent policy responses to this significant problem have been based on assumptions and anecdotal evidence about why parents fail to comply with contact orders. As the first empirical study of the issue, the project's central aim is to analyse data collected from Family Court files to obtain a clear understanding of th ....WHY CONTACT ORDERS FAIL: ASSUMPTIONS AND REALITY. This project addresses the growing problem of Family Court litigation to enforce orders for parent-child contact after separation. Recent policy responses to this significant problem have been based on assumptions and anecdotal evidence about why parents fail to comply with contact orders. As the first empirical study of the issue, the project's central aim is to analyse data collected from Family Court files to obtain a clear understanding of the causes and effectiveness of enforcement proceedings. The research findings will provide a sound basis for assessing the current approach to contraventions of contact orders, and for designing any necessary reforms.Read moreRead less
Relocation after parental separation: a longitudinal study. This project is to examine the long-term outcomes of relocation disputes, when one parent after separation wants to move far away with the children against the opposition of the other parent. The study is of great international importance, as these disputes have become so numerous and difficult to resolve. The results of the study will enhance Australia's international reputation as a leader in family law innovation and research. The na ....Relocation after parental separation: a longitudinal study. This project is to examine the long-term outcomes of relocation disputes, when one parent after separation wants to move far away with the children against the opposition of the other parent. The study is of great international importance, as these disputes have become so numerous and difficult to resolve. The results of the study will enhance Australia's international reputation as a leader in family law innovation and research. The national benefits will include better information for courts in making relocation decisions and an evidence-base for the Government to make legislative changes if needed.Read moreRead less
Children's involvement in decision-making about residence and contact in family law proceedings. This project aims to discover the extent to which children and young people are involved in decision-making about residence and contact when their parents divorce, and to examine how their views are taken into account. It will involve interviews with children and parents about agreements reached without court involvement, and interviews with children, parents, counsellors, separate representatives a ....Children's involvement in decision-making about residence and contact in family law proceedings. This project aims to discover the extent to which children and young people are involved in decision-making about residence and contact when their parents divorce, and to examine how their views are taken into account. It will involve interviews with children and parents about agreements reached without court involvement, and interviews with children, parents, counsellors, separate representatives and judges in cases with court involvement. The findings will result in greater understanding of the factors that affect children's willingness and capacity to be involved in such decision-making and assist counsellors, judges and other court personnel in ascertaining and assessing children's wishes.Read moreRead less
Relocation after parental separation and the best interests of children. The project is of importance not only for Australia, but internationally, because relocation disputes are a pressing issue around the world in family law. These disputes have become numerous as laws have changed in recent years to reflect the ideal that parents should share responsibility after separation and that children should have regular contact with both of them. This ideal clashes with the promise of divorce that ind ....Relocation after parental separation and the best interests of children. The project is of importance not only for Australia, but internationally, because relocation disputes are a pressing issue around the world in family law. These disputes have become numerous as laws have changed in recent years to reflect the ideal that parents should share responsibility after separation and that children should have regular contact with both of them. This ideal clashes with the promise of divorce that individuals should be able to live their own lives without being unduly bound by ties to the other parent.This will be the world's first such prospective longitudinal study of the outcomes of relocation decisions. The national benefits will include better information for courts in making relocation decisions.Read moreRead less
Post-separation parenting and financial settlements: the long-term financial impacts of shared care. This proposal's focus on financial and parenting arrangements over time is both important and timely given increasing focus on shared post-separation parenting in Australia and internationally. By considering the impact of changes in shared care over time on financial decisions made at separation (especially property division), this proposal will establish how to embody in financial arrangements ....Post-separation parenting and financial settlements: the long-term financial impacts of shared care. This proposal's focus on financial and parenting arrangements over time is both important and timely given increasing focus on shared post-separation parenting in Australia and internationally. By considering the impact of changes in shared care over time on financial decisions made at separation (especially property division), this proposal will establish how to embody in financial arrangements the long-term changes associated with shared parenting. This will enable us to empower separating couples, their advisers and courts to make financial settlements which reduce the potentially adverse financial and social impacts of post-separation financial arrangements on children, carers, and our social security system.Read moreRead less
Regulating Relations: Forming Families Inside and Outside of Law's Reach. Australia is wrestling with the complex challenges posed by the increase in cross-border reproductive care. This project asks: what are the causes and consequences of Australians being excluded from, or choosing to evade, regulated assisted reproductive treatment? The research aims to identify barriers to the pathways to licensed assisted reproductive treatment and motivations for evasion of regulation. It entails a series ....Regulating Relations: Forming Families Inside and Outside of Law's Reach. Australia is wrestling with the complex challenges posed by the increase in cross-border reproductive care. This project asks: what are the causes and consequences of Australians being excluded from, or choosing to evade, regulated assisted reproductive treatment? The research aims to identify barriers to the pathways to licensed assisted reproductive treatment and motivations for evasion of regulation. It entails a series of interlinked case studies reflecting the life-cycle of family formation in assisted conception. The aim is to develop solutions for more responsive legal frameworks that encourage beneficial clinical and ethical practices and contain harmful ones through inclusion rather than exclusion.Read moreRead less