Margot Rawsthorne

Just Like Other Families? Supporting Lesbian-parented Families

Abstract Parenthood is increasingly a choice being made by lesbians in Australia. Although children conceived in heterosexual relationships have been raised in lesbian-parented households since the 1970s, there is now an emerging trend of children being conceived within lesbian relationships. The emergence of new family forms has implications for individuals, families, and the broader community. The present paper draws on the experiences of 17 lesbian-parented families living in Sydney and regional New South Wales. Adopting an ecological framework towards child development, it argues that both informal and formal support systems are important in enhancing the protective factors to support these families. The paper identifies a number of critical times of vulnerability for these families. At these times, if informal support systems fracture, the formal support system can play a significant protective role towards lesbian-parented families and support lesbian-parented families to achieve optimum family and child wellbeing.

Cleaning the sink: exploring the experiences of Australian lesbian parents reconciling work/family responsibilities

In many households across Australia the question ‘Who cleans the sink?’ symbolises an undertow of disquiet. The gendered patterning of household tasks remains resolutely resistant to feminist challenges. Despite three decades of research and policy interest in assisting Australian families reconcile work and family life, this interaction continues to be a source of stress and conflict. This paper aims to examine a work/family arrangement under circumstances in which the traditional gender division of labour is removed – in lesbian family households. It draws on qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 lesbian parents living in New South Wales, Australia. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify patterns of work and family arrangements in these lesbian-parented families. The findings suggest that family stress and conflict are lessened in some lesbian households through the de-stabilising of scripts concerning traditional gendered division of labour. The paper aims to contribute to the small but growing lesbian-parenting literature in Australia and also to the broader work/family literature.

The study design and methodology for the ARCHER study - adolescent rural cohort study of hormones, health, education, environments and relationships

BackgroundAdolescence is characterized by marked psychosocial, behavioural and biological changes and represents a critical life transition through which adult health and well-being are established. Substantial research confirms the role of psycho-social and environmental influences on this transition, but objective research examining the role of puberty hormones, testosterone in males and oestradiol in females (as biomarkers of puberty) on adolescent events is lacking. Neither has the tempo of puberty, the time from onset to completion of puberty within an individual been studied, nor the interaction between age of onset and tempo. This study has been designed to provide evidence on the relationship between reproductive hormones and the tempo of their rise to adult levels, and adolescent behaviour, health and wellbeing.Methods/DesignThe ARCHER study is a multidisciplinary, prospective, longitudinal cohort study in 400 adolescents to be conducted in two centres in regional Australia in the State of New South Wales. The overall aim is to determine how changes over time in puberty hormones independently affect the study endpoints which describe universal and risk behaviours, mental health and physical status in adolescents. Recruitment will commence in school grades 5, 6 and 7 (10–12 years of age). Data collection includes participant and parent questionnaires, anthropometry, blood and urine collection and geocoding. Data analysis will include testing the reliability and validity of the chosen measures of puberty for subsequent statistical modeling to assess the impact over time of tempo and onset of puberty (and their interaction) and mean-level repeated measures analyses to explore for significant upward and downward shifts on target outcomes as a function of main effects.DiscussionThe strengths of this study include enrollment starting in the earliest stages of puberty, the use of frequent urine samples in addition to annual blood samples to measure puberty hormones, and the simultaneous use of parental questionnaires.

Families on the Fringe: Mental Health Implications of the Movement of Young Families to Non-metropolitan Areas

Abstract Over the past three decades, thousands of young families have moved from large cities to non-metropolitan areas of Australia. This is one of the major demographic shifts underway in Australia and demands urgent policy attention. Despite the various impetuses towards relocation, little is known about how these families fare in their new environments. This paper draws on a 3-year study of the experiences of young families who move to regional, rural and remote areas conducted in two states using interviews with parents and service providers. The parent interviews suggest that relocation, regardless of the reason for migration, has the potential to adversely affect mental well-being (through loss of social connections and exclusion from their new community). This is even more so for those with pre-existing mental health problems due to their non-acceptance by the new community and inadequate access to support services. Service providers indicated that the migration of young families to rural and remote communities is placing additional demand on already stretched health and other services. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential strategies to lessen the negative impacts on the mental and social well-being of young families moving to non-metropolitan areas.

Social exclusion in Ulaanbaatar city Mongolia

Abstract Mongolia is undergoing rapid economic, social and political change. A key question facing the government is how it will manage this rapid change to ensure opportunities are shared among its citizens. This article reports on the findings from a household survey of 80 newly arrived residents in the fringe areas of the capital city. The paper concludes that existing government policy is not addressing the social exclusion of these residents. The social work profession is poorly placed to contribute to the needed policy changes. Significant investment in community capacity building is required to enable resident participation and inclusion.

Risk-taking behaviours among younger adolescents in rural and regional New South Wales: preventing adverse health outcomes

Risk-taking behaviours during adolescence have negative short- and long-term health impacts. Maximizing the progress made through child health improvements and preventing the onset of adult ill-health require a much greater focus on health during adolescence. Understanding the biological and social factors that shape both risk and protective factors during adolescence provides the basis for effective prevention strategies. Effective prevention strategies require localized, disaggregated data to respond to heterogeneous life experiences. This paper reports on self-reported risk-taking behaviours among young adolescents growing up in rural communities in New South Wales, Australia. Quantitative analysis was undertaken to explore the relationship between risk-taking behaviour and key social determinants of health, including age, gender, cultural background and socio-economic status. It concludes that cross-cutting early intervention and prevention involving social work, youth work, education and health which builds young people’s resilience is likely to assist in the development of health-protective behaviours.

“Working with COW”: Social Work Supporting Older Women Living in the Community

ABSTRACT Australia, like all developed Western countries, is experiencing a demographic shift resulting in an increasing proportion of the population being over the age of 65 years. Contrary to stereotypes, the vast majority of older people live independently in communities. This article explores the potential of social work practice informed by community development principles to enable socially disadvantaged older women to live in vibrant and supportive communities, in which they feel safe and are able to access the support services they need. It argues that participation in social action not only builds older women’s well-being but also enables them to become (or continue to be) agents for social change in local communities. Adopting a community-based research methodology, this article draws on a decade of community development practice with the Concerned Older Women’s (COW) Group. This data suggests that community development practice based on participation, empowerment, and social action founded on respectful relationships may accrue significant benefits to individuals and the broader community. This social work practice creates the social conditions to facilitate older women’s capacity to work collectively to achieve social change, challenging ageist stereotypes.

How long in the wilderness? Australian lesbian parents and social policy reform

Australian social policy and legislation in relation to gay men, lesbians and their families have been ‘revolutionized’ over recent years. Between 2008 and 2010 alone we have seen an incredible 84 separate pieces of legislation amended to recognize same sex relationships in Commonwealth legislation. For some rights activists, these reforms have been too long coming but for others they have created real disquiet about the way they position non-heterosexual relationships. This article draws on qualitative interviews undertaken with lesbian women who parent in New South Wales, Australia. Two waves of interviews are drawn on, the first occurring prior to Australian government reforms and the second after the reforms. The interviews provide an insight into the lived experiences of social policy reforms, highlighting how these women weigh up and reconcile legal recognition. These women’s experiences remind us again of the limitations of legal reform to bring about social or cultural change, particularly in the context of neo-liberalism. This paper seeks to ask what is the nature of this ‘revolution’ and, why now?