Abstract
This collection of essays explores some of the complexities that confront both those who frame social policy in Australia and those involved in the legal systems that intersect with child and family issues. Essays include: Trends in family transitions, forms and functioning: Essential issues for policy development and legislation; Ancestry, identity and meaning: The importance of biological ties in contemporary society; Past adoption practices: Key messages for service delivery responses and current policies; The forced adoption apology: Righting wrongs of a dark past; Current open adoptions: Mothers' perspectives; Perfecting adoption? Reflections on the rise of commercial offshore surrogacy and family formation in Australia; Use of surrogacy by Australians: Implications for policy and law reform; Secrecy, family relationships and the welfare of children born with the assistance of donor sperm: Developments in research, law and practice; Gay and lesbian parenting: The legislative response; Step-parenting; Grandparents as primary carers of their grandchildren: Policy and practice insights from research; Contemporary issues in child protection intake, referral and family support; Mandatory reporting laws; Children in the out-of-home care system; Justice and the protection of children; Children, families and the law: A view of the past with an eye to the future; The ties that bind: Separation, divorce and the indissolubility of parenthood; Confidentiality and 'family counselling' under the Family Law Act 1975; Has confidentiality in family dispute resolution reached its use-by date?; Family law: Challenges for responding to family violence in a federal system; Families with complex needs: Meeting the challenges of separation; Post-separation parenting arrangements involving minimal time with one parent; Family violence and financial outcomes after parental separation; Lionel Murphy and the dignified divorce: Of dreams and data; Prosecuting child sexual abuse: The role of social science evidence; The scientists are coming: What are the courts to do with social science research?; Social science and family law: From fallacies and fads to the facts of the matter; and Complex family issues: Collective awareness, common narratives and coordinated approaches to promoting resilience.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Melbourne |
| Publisher | Australian Institute of Family Studies |
| Number of pages | 308 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781922038487 |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- Family law--Australia
- Family policy--Australia
- Domestic relations--Australia
- Government policy