Changes in patterns of post-separation parenting over time
Bruce Smyth, Nick Richardson, Ruth Weston and Lawrie Moloney
Australian National University, Australian Institute of Family Studies and La Trobe University
Contact Email:   bruce.smythanu.edu.au

Under the recently introduced Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 (Cth), courts with family law jurisdiction now have a responsibility - subject to the particular circumstances that are relevant to the welfare of the children in that case - to consider making orders for the children to spend equal, or else substantial or significant periods of, time with each parent. Yet despite the broad legislative and policy changes in recent years towards encouraging co-parenting after separation, little is known in Australia about the durability of 50:50 shared care or other patterns of post-separation parenting (such as traditional weekly or fortnightly arrangements, daytime-only care, holiday-only care, or little or no father-child contact). Drawing on recent Australian longitudinal data, this paper examines changes in different patterns of care over time. These data are likely to be of considerable interest to policy makers, legal professionals, practitioners, and separating parents themselves since changes in post-separation parenting arrangements can have important consequences for children’s and parents’ wellbeing and financial circumstances.

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