Events

This seminar is jointly organized by Centre for Family and Population Research (CFPR), Social Service Research Centre (SSRC), and Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore.

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Sharon Quah, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore.

ABSTRACT

Child support (the transfer of money between separated parents to contribute to the costs of raising children from the relationship) is a defining and under-studied element of parenting across households. It can contribute to the wellbeing of children and their carers but the Australian Child Support Scheme, like many other systems, is marked by debt and unreliable payments. The dominant approach to these issues understands child support as a financial issue to be solved by changing the formula used to calculate amounts to be paid and received. I offer two re-conceptualizations of child support. The first emphasizes the interpretive dimensions of child support; child support is a way for parents, and particularly fathers, to express love, loss and authority. The second re-conceptualization highlights child support as a form of women’s labour along four dimensions: emotion work, information work, interaction work, and budget work. I argue that both approaches highlight the gender power dynamics that need to be acknowledged and managed to establish more effective and responsive policy and service approaches to child support.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Kristin Natalier is Senior Lecturer at the University of Tasmania, Australia. In her research, she has focused on developing new knowledge and building a new theoretical approach within Australian scholarship of child support. Dr Natalier has lead the first large scale and multi-method  study on the  transfer and use of child support since work conducted in the mid 1980s by Australian Institute for Family Studies. This work included the first large Australian qualitative study of both mothers’ and fathers’ understandings and uses of child support. Prior to her work, Australian research tended to be quantitative and descriptive, or utilised very small samples in qualitative studies. Her study developed an important evidence – base of the financial and housing impacts of child support.

REGISTRATION

All are welcome. Kindly rsvp to faspljm@nus.edu.sg by 18 November 2014.