Who gets to decide?

The changes to the Family Law Act, and in particular changes to ‘Parental Responsibility’, are a hot topic among family lawyers and parenting rights groups. But how does the law translate into practice?

The historical survey table below compares parental decision-making in 2012 and 2014. Mothers were more often reported as the main decision-maker in several areas, while a substantial proportion of decisions were reported as made equally by both parents. These research findings do not determine what arrangements are appropriate for an individual child.