What's new in the field of family relationships
This page aims to keep you up-to-date with "what's new" at the Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse and in the field of family relationships.
- A social health atlas of Australia (Third Edition) 2008
6 November 2009
An interactive mapping and statistics site providing Australian demography and socioeconomic status, health status and risk factors from the University of Adelaide’s Public Health Information Development Unit. -
ABS National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, 2008
6 November 2009
This publication presents summary results from the 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS).
- Community Indicators Victoria (CIV)
6 November 2009
A collaborative project hosted by the McCaughey Centre, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne. This site uses local community wellbeing indicators to improve citizen engagement, community planning and policy making. - Social inclusion and social citizenship -- towards a truly inclusive society
6 November 2009
Matthew Thomas, Luke Buckmaster, Parliamentary Library
This paper examines the concept of social inclusion in order to determine its usefulness as a framework for social policy. - Australian Social Policy conference, An inclusive society: Practicalities and possibilities
4 November 2009
The eleventh conference was held in July 2009. Its proceedings are summarised in the Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) newsletter, FaHCSIA Research News, n.35, September 2009. - Insights into the concerns of young Australians
4 November 2009
In 2008 Mission Australia conducted its seventh annual National survey of young Australians with over 45,000 young people aged 11-24 years. The findings are in this new publication. - The Tyranny of distance? Caring in regional and remote Australia
4 November 2009
An article and summary by Carers Australia on the recent AIFS report. - Family Law Seminars - Children's issues in the context of family breakdown
4 November 2009
How are children’s cases decided? Wednesday 4 November and three recent case studies – what did the judges decide and why? Tuesday 1 December. Brisbane. - Council for the Care of Children's website
4 November 2009
This South Australian Council's website is a user-friendly resource for information on children and young people's rights and on some of the latest research and policy directions about children and young people. - How do you know what you do works? A short guide to measuring outcomes and effectiveness in family and parenting work.
30 October 2009
This short, downloadable guide, prepared by the UK Family and Parenting Institute, is designed to help individual workers and whole services understand the terms and issues within the act of measuring and how to go about it. - Gambling - draft report
30 October 2009
Released on 21 October by the Productivity Commission, you are invited to examine this report and make written submissions by Friday 18 December. - An Aboriginal family and community healing program in metropolitan Adelaide: Description and evaluation
30 October 2009
This paper describes and evaluates the process, impacts and outcomes of an Aboriginal Family and Community Healing (AFCH) Program based in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. - Renovate your relationship: A manual for men
30 October 2009
Relationships Australia and MensLine Australia have produced this new booklet, with the aim of getting men to think about the practical side of relationship maintenance and how to do it. - Working better: Fathers, family and work – contemporary perspectives
28 October 2009
This new research summary from the Equality and Human Rights Commission offers insights into how fathers experience and think about work and care in Great Britain today. - Interrelate family centres ‘Being a dad’ courses
28 October 2009
The three-session programs are designed to assists fathers to be better dads, connect with their children, discipline constructively and better manage conflict. - eFiling of divorce applications now available
27 October 2009
Applications for divorce (and certain accompanying documents) can now be electronically filed. Instructions on how to register are available from the Family Law Courts website - Shared care after separation: Qualities & quantities
27 October 2009
A workshop with Dr Jennifer McIntosh and Professor Richard Choisholm, 2 December, Canberra, ANU. - State of Australia’s young people: A report on the social, economic, health and family lives of young people
23 October 2009
Released by the Minister of Youth, Kate Ellis, this report presents a comprehensive picture of how young Australians are faring. - National online gambling counselling service
22 October 2009
On 8 October the Australian, State and Territory Governments launched a new 24-hour online gambling counselling service. - Working therapeutically with children from post separated families
21 October 2009
Uniting Care Institute of Family Practice is offering this 6-day course in November. - Anglicare Australia's state of the family report
20 October 2009
Released on 12 October, focuses on the impact of the global financial crisis on Australian Families. - Survey on the impact on families of the economic downturn
20 October 2009
The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has released the results of this survey. - Financial measures to support struggling Australians
19 October 2009
Low-income earners who have been affected by the global financial crisis can be granted financial support through a $33 million Australian Government investment. Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services and the Brotherhood of St Laurence will be administering the assistance through existing programs. - The role of spirituality in social and emotional wellbeing initiatives: The Family Wellbeing Program at Yarrabah
9 October 2009
This evaluation of the Family Wellbeing program at Yarrabah, an Indigenous community in far north Queensland, explores the role that spirituality plays in social and emotional wellbeing for one group of Indigenous Australians. - Progress for children: A report card on child protection
9 October 2009
Violence and exploitation remain a harsh reality in the lives of many children around the word, according to this report card from UNICEF. - Assessments of parenting and parenting support need
7 October 2009
This UK study looks at how a range of health, education and family practitioners make their assessments of parenting and parenting support need. - Child inclusive practice forum (PDF 398 KB)
7 October 2009
For all those working in the field of family dispute resolution. 27-28 October - Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) - Evaluation research study
6 October 2009
This interim study reports on the UK pilot of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court, whose aim is to improve outcomes for children by offering parents with substance misuse problems better support. - Time trends in parenting and outcomes for young people
6 October 2009
The first in a series of UK briefing papers examining aspects of social change, parenting and adolescent experiences. - CCCH seminar: Partnerships with parents: Listening and responding to families training (PDF 233 KB)
5 October 2009
An introduction to family-centred practice, designed to heighten service providers’ awareness about issues in working with families. In Melbourne on Thursday October 8. - Indigenous solutions to Indigenous problems (PDF 152 KB)
5 October 2009
An Indigenous method of inquiry and strategising for non-Indigenous researchers. Public seminar Wednesday 7th October, Sydney. - ARACY national conference follow-up
2 October 2009
Keynote and Invited speaker, and Panel Session proceedings from the ARACY conference are now available. - Characteristics, outcomes and meanings of three types of permanent placement - adoption by strangers, adoption by carers and long-term foster care
2 October 2009
The research summary for this UK project is now available, with the full report due in 2010. - Nurturing the hidden resilience of at-risk children and families across cultures and contexts
30 September 2009
Two day workshop, 8-9 October, University of Sydney. Dr Michael Ungar presents a culturally sensitive model of intervention that nurtures young people’s ‘hidden resilience’. - SNAICC 2010 National conference - call for submissions and abstracts
30 September 2009
The call for papers for the July 2010 SNAICC conference closes on 30 October 2009. - The evaluation of Family Relationship Services Australia (PDF 154 KB)
30 September 2009
Report commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and undertaken by Courage Partners. - Carers and employment
25 September 2009
This ABS article focuses on how carers balance employment with their caring role and how this may affect their financial future. - Work, life and family balance
25 September 2009
This ABS article discusses challenges in balancing parents’ work and child-rearing responsibilities, particularly while their children are young. - Innovative Resources
22 September 2009
Innovative Resources, the publishing arm of St Luke’s Anglicare, offers a range of therapeutic, strengths-based tools that can be used by human service professionals across many different roles and cultures. The materials use straightforward language and require no special training. - Doing better for children
22 September 2009
This OECD study compares public spending and policies for children with key indicators of child-wellbeing in OECD countries, including Australia. These include education, health, housing, family incomes and quality of school life. - Australian Institute for Population Ageing Research (AIPAR)
21 September 2009
The new Australian Institute for Population Ageing Research (AIPAR) at the University of New South Wales was launched on September 18. - Starting school: Stories from parents of children with a disability
21 September 2009
A new DVD resource is now available. To order a copy phone the Early Childhood Intervention Infoline 1300 65 68 65. - My family is separating – what now?
18 September 2009
On 16 September Minister for Human Services, Chris Bowen MP, launched an online support tool developed by the Department of Human Services to assist separated families in navigating their way through the Family Law System. - Children with a disability
18 September 2009
A new online resource for parents of children with a disability is now available from the Raising Children Network. - SPRC seminar on building and maintaining family resilience in families where a child has a disability (PDF 161 KB)
16 September 2009
Dr Kristy Muir presents this seminar on 22 September at the University of NSW. - New parenting resource for dads
8 September 2009
Fathers Matter is a new booklet stressing the importance of fathers and providing tips on how fathers can be involved in their children’s lives. - This is my home: Belonging, disability and diversity
2 September 2009
Key findings from this new report provide future directions for building cultural and linguistic inclusion for people from non-English speaking backgrounds with a disability. - More marriages and less divorces in 2008: ABS
2 September 2009
This ABS snapshot of the past 20 years shows an increase in marriage and a decline in divorce trends. - Children beyond dispute
31 August 2009
This four year Family Transitions, Relationships Australia and La Trobe University study compares outcomes for two groups of separated parents who attended either in Child Focused or Child Inclusive mediation over parenting disputes. - New Indigenous Parenting Support Services across Australia
24 August 2009
On August 19, FaHCSIA Minister Jenny Macklin announced an additional 24 Indigenous Parenting Support Services across Australia. - New fathering resource
21 August 2009
A new DVD entitled "What Kids Really Need from their Dads" is aimed at improving children’s education and health by providing ideas for fathers and father figures via schools, workplaces and community groups. - Shut out: The experience of people with disabilities and their families in Australia
19 August 2009
This discussion paper asks people with disabilities and their families, friends and carers to identify the main barriers to their full participation in the economic and social life of the community. - The State of Victoria’s Children 2008
17 August 2009
The 2008 edition of the Victorian Government’s report on how children and young people (0 to18) are faring against the whole-of-government outcomes framework is now available. - Updated modelling on child support reforms
14 August 2009
The Australian Government's updated analysis of the third stage of the child support reforms introduced by the previous government, which includes the new child support formula. - Seminar: Values and Vocation - The essence of working with fragile families presented by Professor Dorothy Scott
12 August 2009
The SA Branch of Child and Family Health Nurses invites nurses, midwives and other professionals working with children and families to a seminar in South Australia on Wednesday 26th August 2009. RSVP to Julian Grant on julian.grant@flinders.edu.au by COB Friday 21st August. - Understanding Homelessness
12 August 2009
The Australian Government and the Victorian Government are providing $154.8 million over four years to reduce homelessness in Victoria, as part of the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) on Homelessness. A range of programs and initiatives will be provided, including improving services to get young people reconnecting with their families, education and employment. - Three New Indigenous Children and Family Centres
12 August 2009
The Minister for Early Childhood Education, Child Care and Youth, Kate Ellis, and the New South Wales Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney, announced (on 4 August) the first three of nine new Children and Family Centres for NSW to improve the quality of life for Indigenous children and their families. - 'The right to belong': Family homelessness and citizenship (PDF 714 KB)
11 August 2009
Swinburne University of Technology and Hanover Welfare Services have published a new report detailing how homelessness affects the everyday experiences of women with children. It examines how homelessness affects citizenship: the ways in which women understand and negotiate rights and responsibilities, belonging and participation.
- 5.1 million for better support for women with post and antenatal depression
4 August 2009
On July 24, the Rudd Government announced it will invest $5.1 million over three years to enable four specialist organisations to provide telephone-based support for women experiencing post or antenatal depression, or grief following the loss of a baby that will link to an enhanced 24 hour hotline for pregnant women and new mothers. - Single mothers resource booklet
4 August 2009
This new Parenting Research Centre publication, Single Mothers: A resource for parenting solo, offers practical tips for single mothers on adjusting to change, looking after yourself, helping your children cope and building positive family relationships. - Parent resource cards
4 August 2009
The NSW Department of Community Services has prepared a series of parenting cards that are packed with tips for parents. They make a quick reference for new parents on how to care for your baby or toddler. - The National Evaluation of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy
3 August 2009
This AIFS seminar, held on 28 July, presented findings from the National Evaluation of the Strategy conducted from 2004-2008 by Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC), UNSW and the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). The presentation slides and audio version are now available at the above link.