Australian Institute of Family Studies

Recent publications

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

Family dispute resolution: Use, timing, and outcomes

Journal article— Mar 2019

This paper examines three cohorts of parents who had separated in different periods after the reforms.

Online peer support programs for young people with a parent who has a mental illness: Service providers’ perspectives

Journal article— Jan 2019

This paper explores service providers’ perspectives on Victorian peer support programs strengths and weaknesses of online approaches to peer support.

The relationship between parent drinking and adolescent drinking: Differences for mothers and fathers and boys and girls

Journal article— Jan 2019

This paper found that both mothers’ and fathers’ heavy episodic drinking significantly increased the likelihood of adolescent drinking.

News

Supporting children through disasters and traumatic events

5 Apr 2019: Natural disasters and other traumatic events can seriously impact the emotional wellbeing of those affected. The Emerging Minds organisation, which is dedicated to advancing the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Australian infants, children and adolescents, has developed a suite of resources to help workers, parents and carers to support children before, during and after a traumatic event.

Government bans personal cross-examination in certain high-risk family court cases

11 March 2019: Under the Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Cross-examination of Parties) Act 2018, from 11 September 2019 personal cross-examination will be banned in family law proceedings in certain circumstances, including when there are allegations of family violence.

In 2018, AIFS’ Family Law team was commissioned by the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) to produce a research report on the issue.