This article begins by discussing two recent decisions of the Family Court regarding the costs of children for child maintenance involving parents who separated prior to October 1989. The Family Court referred to calculations of the costs of children by Lovering and Lee as well as the Stage Two child support formula. Next the author discusses amendments to the Family Law Act relating to children and dispute resolution which strengthen the approach of resolving disputes by means other than litigation. Conciliation and mediation are now referred to as primary procedures. Other reforms introduced in the amending legislation are the removal of the terms 'custody' and 'access' and the replacement of the terminology and concept of parental guardianship with that of parental responsibility.