Family Matters articles from December 2007

Family Matters archives from December 2007

Director's report.(Report)
December 22, 2007... New administration arrangements Following the election of the new Government and associated administrative changes to Commonwealth departments and agencies, the Institute has joined the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio. The Institute...

Family relationships: change and complexity.
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This edition of Family Matters focuses on one of the most fundamental yet complex aspects of human experience--family relationships. The articles in this edition demonstrate this complexity in some depth in...

Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law children's proceedings: key findings of Australian Institute of Family Studies Research Report No. 15.
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This research, which used court files as its primary data source, was commissioned by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department to provide information that could assist in monitoring its Family Law...

Implications of the Australian Institute of Family Studies Allegations of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law Children's Proceedings report: response from the Family Court of Australia.(VIEWPOINT)
December 22, 2007... The Australian Institute of Family Studies Allegation of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law Children's Proceedings report is a groundbreaking study that advances our understanding of the frequency with which allegations of violence...

Federal Magistrates Court response to the Australian Institute of Family Studies Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law children's proceedings report.(VIEWPOINT)(Australian Institute of Family Studies)
December 22, 2007... The research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies is of significance to the Federal Magistrates Court (FMC) in that it highlights the prevalence of family violence and child abuse raised in children's proceedings that come before the...

Implications for family dispute resolution practice: response from relationships Australia (Victoria) to the Allegations of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law Children's Proceedings report.(VIEWPOINT)(Report)
December 22, 2007... Allegations of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law Children's Proceedings illustrates how prevalent family violence allegations are in court proceedings. It is argued that the family dispute resolution (FDR) sector is also...

Separating safety from situational violence: response to Allegations of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law Children's Proceedings: a pre-reform exploratory study.(VIEWPOINT)(Report)
December 22, 2007... "Bold new path on domestic violence" (Horin, 2007), and "Exposing the anti-male myth" (Arndt, 2007) are examples of the headlines that the Australian Institute of Family Studies Allegations of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Family Law...

'Less adversarial' proceedings in children's cases: the extensive amendments to the Family Law Act in 2006 included provisions establishing a new, 'less adversarial' approach to the hearing of children's cases. This article describes the new approach, where it comes from, and its likely significance.(VIEWPOINT)
December 22, 2007... The adversary system Among the many changes to children's law made by the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 was the introduction of Division 12A of Part VII, containing provisions that "provide for a less...

Snapshots from the Family Relationship Centres album.(SNAPSHOTS)(Interview)
December 22, 2007... The following article is intended purely as an information piece for our readers and is unrelated to the evaluation of the family law reform package currently being undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Turn to page 39 for...

Evaluation of the family law reform package: the Australian Institute of Family Studies is undertaking an evaluation of the family law reform package on behalf of the Australian Government.(EVALUATION)
December 22, 2007... The reform package includes changes to the law, in the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006, and funding for new and expanded services to help families deal cooperatively and practically with relationship difficulties...

Unwrapping the family law reform package.(FAMILY LAW UPDATE)
December 22, 2007... One year after the passage of legislation reforming the family law system, the courts and commentators analyse aspects of its application. Meanwhile, two recent studies, one on violence and one exploring the relationship between lawyers and...

Promoting healthy stepfamilies: couples' reasons for seeking help and perceived benefits from intervention.(Research on programs to help--Stepfamilies and pre-marriage education)(Report)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stepfamilies are an increasingly common family structure within Australia and most western countries. The term 'stepfamily' refers to a heterogenous group of families that are characterised by a couple relationship,...

The effectiveness of marriage and relationship education programs.(Research on programs to help--Stepfamilies and pre-marriage education)(Report)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Examinations of the effectiveness of marriage and relationship education programs are typically relatively complex and small-scale, short-term studies of particular programs that demonstrate some improvements in...

When dad works long hours: how work hours are associated with fathering 4-5-year-old children.(Parent-child relationships--Empirical snapshots)(Report)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The role of the father is multifaceted, with fathers often undertaking the breadwinner role in couple families, spending time with children, and providing support and assistance to the mother. This paper uses data...

Filming Life at 3.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... The 'Life' series was first launched in 2006 with the Life at 1 website and two televised episodes. Eleven Australian families took part in the series that operates on two platforms--film and the World Wide Web. The second installment of the...

FaCSIA family wellbeing framework.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs)
December 22, 2007... The Institute hosted a series of family wellbeing workshops with the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA), 16-18 July 2007. A draft Family Wellbeing Framework is being developed by FaCSIA that recognises...

Life at 2 website activity.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Life at 2 website has showcased the Institute's research that compares the progress of Australian children born in the 1980s and the 2000s. This research was made possible by the inclusion of identical...

Australian Council for Children and Youth Organisations launch of the Safeguarding Children Program.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)
December 22, 2007... On 3 May 2007 Prue Holzer attended the Australian Council of Children and Youth Organisations' launch of the Safeguarding Children Program. The Australian Council of Children and Youth Organisations' mission is "to achieve the development of...

Institute interstate.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... Dr Rae Kaspiew, a Senior Research Fellow in the family research program at the Institute, gave a presentation at a session called 'Whose Best Interests?' at the Queensland Law Society's Family Law Residential on the Gold Coast on 14 September....

2007 Longitudinal Study of Australian Children Research Conference.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Conference news)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The inaugural Growing Up in Australia: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) Research Conference was held on 3-4 December 2007, in Melbourne at the Oaks Hotel on Collins Street. The aim of the...

Institute and Attorney-General's Department meet about the family law evaluation.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On 31 July 2007, the Evaluation and Research Development Section within the Family Pathways Branch of the Attorney-General's Department visited the Institute to speak with the Institute team undertaking the...

Forum on Separated Families Projects.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was with great pleasure that we welcomed a small group of external academics and professionals to the Institute on 31 July 2007 as participants in a research forum on separated families. The forum was part of...

Professor Brooks-Gunn's visit.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During her July visit to Melbourne, the Institute had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Child Development at Teachers College and the College of...

SPRC conference.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Social Policy Research Centre)(Conference news)
December 22, 2007... Social Policy Through the Life Course: Building Community Capacity and Social Resilience was the theme of the 10th Australian Social Policy Conference held in Sydney from 11-13 July, 2007. A delegation of nine Institute staff attended the...

Expert Group Meeting on Enhancing Social Services Policies to Strengthen Family Well-Being in Asia and the Pacific.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Conference news)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In October 2007, Dr Matthew Gray represented the Institute at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Expert Group Meeting on Enhancing Social Services Policies to...

Interdisciplinary Symposium: Rainbow Families.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Conference news)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... The Rainbow Families Council held an Interdisciplinary Symposium, titled Legitimising Lesbian and Gay Parented Families, on 29 June about social and legal issues confronting lesbian- and gay-headed families. Dr Mel Irenyi of the Institute...

Institute attends family relationships conference.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Conference news)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... Celebrate, Integrate, Innovate and Inform were the themes of the Second Biennial Family Relationships Services Program (FRSP) Conference held from 1-2 August in Melbourne. The Attorney-General opened the conference, which featured keynote...

International visitor to the Institute.(INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES)(Brief article)
December 22, 2007... Professor Beckie Adamsis in Australia on sabbatical from Ball State University, Indiana, and was a visitor to the Institute for several weeks in August and September. Professor Adams is interested in general relationship issues, and her current...

Institute seminars.
December 22, 2007... In 2007 the Australian Institute of Family Studies continued its series of public seminars presenting contemporary research on national and international issues related to the family. Tax-welfare churning: The government giveth, and the...

The SANE guide for families: Caring for someone affected by mental illness.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SANE guide for families: Caring for someone affected by mental illness. SANE Australia, 2007. Price: $12.00 plus postage. Further information available from: http://www.sane.org This booklet is intended as a...

Thinking about poverty.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thinking about poverty, edited by Klaus Serr, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2006. Price: Price: $34.95. This edited collection of papers explores global poverty and inequality, then focuses on aspects of...

Longevity and social change in Australia.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Longevity and social change in Australia, edited by Allan Borowski, Sol Encel and Elizabeth Ozanne, UNSW Press, Sydney, 2007. Price: $59.95. Australia is confronting the issue of a steadily ageing population....

The team around the child: Multiagency working in the early years.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The team around the child: Multiagency working in the early years, edited by Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Karen Clarke and Martin Needham, Trentham Books, Stoke on Trent, UK, 2007. This British publication examines...

Social work with indigenous communities.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Social work with indigenous communities, by Linda Briskman, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2007. Price: $35.00. The author of this book challenges the social work profession to pursue a better and more informed way of...

Good practice in child protection.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Good practice in child protection, by Clare Tilbury, Jennifer Osmond, Sandy Wilson and Julie Clark, Pearson Education, Sydney, 2007. Price $59.95. This practical publication aims to give students an understanding...

Social care practice in rural communities.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Social care practice in rural communities, by Brian Cheers, Ros Darracott and Bob Lonne, The Federation Press, Sydney, 2007. Price $39.95. In this book, the authors take a broad approach to the notion of social...

Same-sex: same entitlements. National enquiry into discrimination against people in same-sex relationships: Financial and work-related benefits.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 22, 2007... Same-sex: same entitlements. National enquiry into discrimination against people in same-sex relationships: Financial and work-related benefits Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney, 2007. Price: Gratis. Further information...

Conferences.(Calendar)
December 22, 2007... This short selection of forthcoming family-related conferences is taken from the Australian Institute of Family Studies website conference listing, which is updated regularly. For the complete, up-to-date list, refer to...