FRC post separation families project
Given the difficulties experienced by families during the process of separation and divorce, Australia has witnessed significant reform to family law (as reflected in the Family Law Amendment [Shared Parental Responsibility] Act 2006) and the Child Support Scheme.
These reforms were intended to improve the outcomes of the family court system; to encourage a movement away from the time consuming and costly process of litigation (Fehlberg & Behrens, 2008); and to ensure that income, in the form of child support, was distributed across households in a more equitable manner.
Under the current system, parents are required to attempt Family Law Dispute Resolution in non-court based dispute resolution centres before approaching the court. Dispute resolution occurs in the newly created Family Relationship Centres (FRC) strategically placed in a range of metropolitan suburbs.
Since these recent changes little research has examined the experience of individual family members within these new systems. The FRC Post Separation Families Project consists of a series of studies seeking to examine the full range of issues encountered by different family structures within new legislative frameworks.
In partnership with Centrecare and the Midland Family Relationship Centre, the current research agenda is examining the following:
- The experience of separating parents who attend the FRC
- The experience of children whose parents attend the FRC
- The experience of residential and non-residential stepparents with the FRC
- The experience of stepparents whose partners attend the FRC
- The experience of Counsellors and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners working with separating families who attend the FRC.