In this article, Richard Fletcher reports on how the utilisation of Family Relationship Centres differs between mothers and fathers at two FRCs in NSW.

Circumstances and challenges for sole parents are considered in this article. The interplay between a child's wellbeing and the wellbeing of their parents is emphasised, and a call for understanding and support is made as evidence builds that a focus on quality relationships, regardless of family structure, is important for child outcomes.

A taxpayer-funded parental leave scheme of 18 weeks at the adult minimum wage ($544 per week) would benefit around 140,000 mothers and their newborn children each year and yield community-wide gains in the long term, according to this draft report. The scheme also provides for two weeks’ paid leave to over 225,000 eligible fathers. The...

Much has been made of the good that could come from giving Australian mothers paid maternity leave. But in the current debate, many of the assumptions about paid maternity leave have gone largely unchallenged. This paper examines some of the complexities involved in implementing a taxpayer- or employer-funded scheme, and argues that while existing family...

This paper provides an overview of the research literature on the outcomes of children raised in families with multiple problems including parental substance misuse. The authors argue that until we have accurate mechanisms for estimating the extent of the problem and policies that include a focus on children and families within the drug and alcohol...