A recent study from Australia has suggested that a reduction in conflict between separated families is more likely to be the result of increased relationship services than parenting time arrangements.
Changes to Australia’s family law in 2006 encouraged a shift towards shared-time, or tag-team, parenting, where a child spends equal or near-equal time with each parent.
However, Associate Professor Bruce Smyth from the Australian National University says new data, compiled from a random sample of separated parents from across Australia, suggests differently.
“Surprisingly, we found that since the family law changes, the prevalence of shared-time parenting in Australia has plateaued at about 15%,” he says.
Smyth says Government commitment in 2006 to fund and support mediation services is likely to have been the cause of this parental shift, especially among high-conflict families.
“The introduction of family relationship centres seems to have offered new opportunities for courts and community-based services to work constructively together for the good of the children of separation and divorce,” he said.
Contact Family Law Edinburgh
For advice on child custody arrangements and other specialist family law advice, click here to complete our enquiry form or call us on 0131 208 1608.
