Person

Bruce Smyth

Discussion paper

COVID-19 and separated families

The focus of this paper is the approximately 650,000 separated families, and the 1.3 million children affected by these separations in Australia. For these families too, it is likely that COVID-19 will amplify both the opportunities and the dangers.
Report

Understanding parenting disputes after separation

This report adds to what is known about the behaviour and motivations of separated parents in Australia, drawing on three independent data sets.
Report

Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law children's proceedings: a pre-reform exploratory study

The report is a benchmark study based on data relating to a period prior to the 2006 reforms to the family law system and will be used to assist in evaluating aspects of the reforms. It provides some challenging findings about the frequency of allegations...
Report

A snapshot of contemporary attitudes to child support

The Attitudes to Child Support Study, conducted by the AIFS early in 2005, was designed to inform the work of the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support. Data were obtained from a general population sample of 1001 people aged between 18 and 64 years and from...
Report

Inquiry into child custody arrangements in the event of family separation

The Australian government recently announced a parliamentary inquiry to investigate whether a legal presumption of joint residence should become part of Australian family law - that is, if parents separate and cannot agree on arrangements for their children, the starting point should be that children...