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This article reports on the Australian Institute of Family Studies research program for the next three years. It covers the following primary data projects: Life Course of Australian Families, Family Formation, Breakdown and Re-formation; Parenting; and Ageing, Later Life Families and Family Care. Two monitoring projects will continue which involve the monitoring, analysis and reporting of secondary data: family trends monitoring and legislative, policy and program monitoring. Further analysis of Australian Living Standards Study data is discussed.
de Vaus, D. Institute research
report.
This article reports on completed and current projects of the Australian Institute of Family Studies. Completed projects, and their associated publications are described. They include: Australian Living Standards Study (ALSS) including the area studies, Early Childhood Study, and research on family trends, families and cultural diversity, work and family, children's rights and law, the commonwealth's role in preventing child abuse, and family change, family relationships and adolescent sexual behaviours and attitudes. Current AIFS projects include: Newtown revisited, housing preferences and capital gains, Department of Social Security Community Research Project, Puckapunyal Primary School Project, rural and regional families, a profile of Australian families, family law reform evaluation, and the costs of children.
de Vaus, D. Adult-parent relationships: do
life cycle transitions make a difference?
'Despite the importance of intergenerational care, we know remarkably little about the sorts of relationships which underlie people's willingness and capacity to provide effective and quality care. It is convenient to assume that most adults and their parents get on well and that they are happy to provide each other with child care and aged care services. But we do not really know this is the case.' The author begins by reporting on research on adult-parent relationships. He then describes findings of a Melbourne based study of adult-parent relationships. One hundred adults provided information about their relationships with their mothers and fathers and, in all, detailed information was collected about 180 adult-parent relationships. Four types of relationships emerged: parent-centred parents, child-centred parents, remote parents, and attached parents. Having described these types of relationships, the author considers changes in relationships in relation to five life cycle transitions: leaving home, getting married, having children, parental retirement, and widowhood. The interviews revealed little evidence that these life cycle changes had much effect. 'Rather than providing the impetus for a new relationship, new life cycle transitions simply provide a new theatre in which the old lines of the old relationship are replayed.'
Funder, K. Complex contact cases and the
family court.
The author examines a recent paper put out by the Australian Law Reform Commission on complex contact cases titled 'For the sake of the kids'. Complex contact cases are defined in the report as having frequent court appearances, repeated use of court counselling or mediation services, and legal aid. Parents involved in such cases are described as very hostile to each other over a long period and committed to continuing the dispute. A strong motive for the report is cost cutting because complex contact cases tie up huge amounts of court resources and legal aid money. However, the stated guiding principal of the report is the welfare of the children. Also discussed is the Family Law Reform Bill which introduces important changes in terminology and the ways the law approaches parents and children, endorsing parents as responsible adults who jointly make parenting plans for their children and continue to responsible for the lives of their children. Notions of ownership and exclusive control and terms such as custody and access are to be avoided.
Gourlay, P. Sexuality
education.
The author outlines two broad views about the likely effects of sexuality education based on its opponents and supporters. The opponents of sexuality education have accused it of undermining family values, promoting homosexuality and increasing adolescent sexuality activity which is then reflected in the number of unintended pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmissible diseases. On the other hand, the supporters of sexuality education have viewed it as the solution to a series of complex, persistent and multi faceted social problems. They believe that increased information about sex and sexual behaviour will protect young people from the potentially harmful effects of sexual activity such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmissible diseases and abuse, but that it will not promote sexual activity.
Millward, C. Family networks in rural and
urban settings.
Does access to extended family members vary by where people live? This article discusses findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies Australian Living Standards Study on the effect of residential locality and gender on involvement with extended family. The study surveyed over 5000 households in four distinct types of geographic location around Australia. The study was thus able to examine locational differences in family networks, and to compare outer urban or rural residents with inner or middle urban residents regarding available levels of government services and family support. The findings suggest that some community locations had closer family ties than others. Closer family ties were more likely to occur in outer suburban localities than in rural localities. Further there was some evidence for weaker same-generation family links in the rural communities survey, which most resembled the inner suburban localities regarding close proximity of and regular contact with parents and siblings.
Tomison, A M. Child abuse and other family
violence: findings from a case tracking study.
This article examines the links between child abuse and domestic violence, discusses aspects of the inter-relationship between the two forms of violence, and identifies issues in professional assessment and management of suspected child abuse cases. The author draws on some of the results from a recently completed study which involved the tracking of suspected child abuse cases over a period of six months in Victoria. The project was designed as an evaluation of the decision making of the various professionals involved in the management of suspected child abuse cases. The aim was to map a child protection system for a period of six months. The study's results found that 22.4 percent of the cases of suspected child abuse cases collected, were reported by professionals as having occurred in families where domestic violence was present. With regard to the sexual abuse cases, an important finding was that 19.4 percent of child sexual abuse cases also involved the child being physically abused; and that 17 percent of these cases were reported to be occurring in families not identified as violent. Using the results of the study the author discusses the following themes: the extent of domestic violence present in families suspected of child abuse, suspected child sexual abuse and occurrence of domestic violence, and the redefinition of physical abuse cases as emotional abuse or neglect.
Wolcott, I; Glezer, H. Impact of the work
environment on workers with family responsibilities.
Family characteristics and workplace conditions can influence the quality of work and family life for workers with family responsibilities. The authors examine the aspects of the work environment most likely to affect how working parents manage their dual commitments, and the aspects parents value most. Data are drawn from the Institute's Australian Living Standards Study, which was commissioned by the Commonwealth Government. Included is detailed information from working parents (n=4567) on a range of working conditions that have the potential to affect family dynamics and work and family satisfaction. Working conditions identified include: working hours and work schedules, flexible work practices such as the ability to leave work for an hour if necessary, telephone access, and clocking in. Other aspects of the work environment examined are leave and child care benefits, and the qualities of the job itself such as whether it is stressful, repetitive or interesting.
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