Australian Institute of Family Studies

Recent publications

Father and toddler typing on keyboard together

Fathers’ work and family conflicts and the outcomes for children’s mental health

Research summary— Jun 2019

This article is adapted from a presentation given at the AIFS 2018 Conference: Fathers at Work symposium.

A man sitting in a dark office holding his head in his hands in frustration

Conflicts between work and family and fathers’ mental health

Research summary— Jun 2019

This article is adapted from a presentation given at the AIFS 2018 Conference: Fathers at Work symposium.

Man in casual clothes using a laptop and his son using a smartphone on the desk. He's working and doing childcare at home

Fathers and work: A statistical overview

Research summary— May 2019

This article shows that while mothers’ work circumstances change considerably after having a child, fathers’ tend to change very little.

Direct cross-examination in family law

Research summary— Apr 2019

This project extent to which direct cross-examination was a feature in cases involving self-represented litigants in families characterised by alleged

News

Birth of a child not affecting men’s paid employment patterns

28 May 2019: New research from AIFS shows that while mothers’ employment alters dramatically after having a child, fathers’ employment remains virtually unchanged. Fathers are spending time on parenting and child care, but they are fitting it in around their paid employment.

Exploring family trends with new Facts & Figures

14 May 2019: To mark National Families Week, celebrated each year from 15 to 21 May, AIFS produced four new fact sheets about trends in modern Australian families. The four included an analysis of the growing trend for young people to stay at home with their parents into adulthood, and a snapshot of divorce trends that showed that while divorces are trending down, more couples are divorcing later in life.