The Australian Institute of Family Studies recently issued a briefing paper, setting out some ideas for future research directions and inviting people to comment. The briefing paper examined three core areas: the micro level which aims to produce stable personalities and which addresses the question of what family arrangements or other child care arrangements, best produce well adjusted and happy children who can fulfil their potential and grow into responsible and well adjusted adults; the meso level which aims to maintain stable family units and which asks how do stable families come to be formed, how do they manage problems, adapt to change and what are the best arrangements for managing the break up of families when they can no longer function successfully; and the macro level which aims to contribute to social stability and which questions how do contemporary changes in the economy, the organisation of government services and local community life impact on the stability of families, and how is family change affecting functioning of the economy, demands on government, and the overall cohesion of Australian society. As well as outlining the basic contours of the new research plan, the author discusses some of the new project ideas which are now under consideration.