Enduring Families? Children's long-term reflections on post-divorce family life

Centre for Research on Family, Kinship and Childhood, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT

Parental separation and divorce are not necessarily critical factors in deciding the life chances of children and young people, according to a new study.

More important are the relationships children have with their parents, how well prepared they are for changes that take place in their lives and how well supported they are through the changes.

The ESRC-funded study by researchers at the University of Leeds found that when parents share responsibility for looking after a child, relationships with both parents can be attentive and supportive even if the young person spends relatively little time with one of the parents.

"Shared residence" - when children move regularly between the homes of parents - works best if the arrangement is flexible and children have a high level of control. Rigid shared residence arrangements can be stressful for young people, and over a long period the disadvantages of shared residence may outweigh any advantages for young people themselves.

The researchers interviewed 60 children and young people with separated or divorced parents over several years. The young people talked about their family lives, their relationships with parents over time, and compared the significance of the divorce with the other pressing issues.

Many of the young people faced a range of challenges after their parents separated, but not necessarily because of the separation. These included lack of money, school issues, issues of sexuality, friendship problems, bereavement and long-term illness.

Dr Bren Neale, who led the research, said the findings went against views that parents' divorce is the key experience that defines young people and determines their chances through life.

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts: addressing antisocial behaviour in the London Borough of Islington

Karen Bullock and Bethan Jones. Home Office, 2004

A study of the impact on acceptable behaviour contracts in one local authority has shown encouraging results. Young people placed on acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) in Islington, north London, committed half as many acts of antisocial behaviour as they had done in the previous six months.

Ninety-five children were placed on ABCs between 1999 and 2001. They had all previously come to the attention of the police for antisocial behaviour including threatening and intimidating other residents, graffiti and criminal damage. They were also reported to be involved in a wide range of criminal behaviour including burglary and car theft.

Most lived with their families in council accommodation where they had been for at least 10 years. They had a range of family and social problems and were already known to various welfare services. Many had been excluded from school at least once and regularly missed school. Parents, practitioners and the young people themselves who were involved in the scheme said their antisocial behaviour was the result either of peer pressure or boredom.

Practitioners favoured ABCs over anti-social behaviour orders because they believed interviewing young people about their antisocial behaviour to be a constructive way of dealing with the problem. The provision of diversion schemes and other facilities to the young people was seen as important in reducing antisocial behaviour.

The study includes a number of recommendations about implementing ABCs more effectively including careful selection of children to include in the scheme, publicising the scheme among young people and communities, and harnessing the active support and involvement of education, youth offending teams and youth services for the scheme.

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr0204.pdf