Family law update
Shared parental responsibility and the reshaping of family law
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October 2006
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Abstract
This article provides a summary of the key amendments to the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006. The most significant changes deal with parental responsibility, time spent with children, the 'best interests' provisions, and the making of parenting plans and parenting orders. Amendments to procedural provisions seek to deflect disputing parents away from the courts, to minimise the adversarial nature of proceedings involving issues related to children and to encourage a culture of cooperative parenting after separation.
This article provides a summary of the key amendments to the Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006. The most significant changes deal with parental responsibility, time spent with children, the 'best interests' provisions, and the making of parenting plans and parenting orders. Amendments to procedural provisions seek to deflect disputing parents away from the courts, to minimise the adversarial nature of proceedings involving issues related to children and to encourage a culture of cooperative parenting after separation.