An extraordinary two weeks in Rome ended Saturday with a standing ovation. Pope Francis had invited 191 bishops and clergy to the Synod on the family to speak their minds on issues such as divorce, premarital…
The extraordinary synod of bishops on family is meeting for two weeks at the Vatican.
EPA/L'Osservatore Romano
A report of debate from the first half of the extraordinary synod of Catholic bishops meeting in Rome has been described as a “pastoral earthquake” and a “seismic shift in Rome” for praising gay relationships…
Grandfather Edward, grandmother Maud and great uncle Jimmy.
Richard Grayson
From an early age, I was fascinated by any story about war. Being born in 1969, and being a child in the 1970s, a large number of my “play” options were linked to the war. I read comics such as Warlord…
According to NatCen research, British fathers are among the worst in Europe at making time for their families. Spending huge amounts of time at work is seen as a sign of discipline and commitment, while…
Is that you, dad? SBS documentary questions oft-quoted figures on dads who are not the real father of their children.
Shutterstock
How confident are you that the man you call dad is really your biological father? If you believe some of the most commonly-quoted figures, you could be forgiven for not being very confident at all. But…
A newly proposed “Cinderella law” seeks to make parents’ “emotional abuse” of their children a criminal offence in England and Wales. Under it, parents who deliberately ignore children, subject them to…
The hairband I’m rockin’? Mum bought it.
amslerPIX
Families where mothers earn as much as or more than fathers are no more likely to split up than those where mothers earn less, according to new research published today. In fact, the evidence shows that…
Spousal history may take a greater role in the detection of type 2 diabetes, as people partnered to those with the condition…
Politicians such as Cory Bernardi hold strong views on the family – but where does the idea of the natural family unit come from?
AAP Image/Alan Porritt
It’s no secret that South Australian senator Cory Bernardi is a fan of what he calls “traditional family structures”. His views are back in the news this week with the release of his latest book, The Conservative…
Taking extra care and consideration for those with dementia can make Christmas a much more enjoyable experience for all.
brutusfly/flickr
As details emerge of the latest appalling shooting incident in the United States, it seems the alleged perpetrator may have planned to die by suicide, after taking the lives of others - just as many have…
Safeguards to protect women and children should not be eroded.
Image from shutterstock.com
For singles and couples who can’t naturally conceive and carry a baby to term, surrogacy is sometimes considered an option to have a child. Current laws across Australia permit “altruistic” surrogacy which…
A roundtable of academics have reviewed family and work policies proposed by the major parties in the lead up to the 2013 election on September 7.
AAP Image/Dean Lewins
Sunanda Creagh, La Conversation Canada et Patrick Hutchens, La Conversation Canada
Australia is approaching a “care tsunami” in which more people will find themselves juggling work with care of children and the elderly but experts have warned that neither major party has proposed adequate…
How generous is the Coalition’s paid parental leave scheme?
“Of the 34 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 33 offer paid parental leave schemes. Of these 33 countries, Australia is one of only two that fails to pay leave…
How would you react if you opened tomorrow’s newspaper and were met with the headline, “Children of sole parents more likely to be abused”? If you’re socially conservative, you may feel affirmed in your…
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary