Research is an important area of work for RAV as it highlights issues, service gaps, areas for improvement and good practice.Our current research projects help us understand current issues and improve our service delivery.

Current research projects

RAV is involved in three major projects funded by the Australian Research Council, reaffirming our commitment to research to better inform our clinical practice and service delivery.

The long term benefits of counselling and group courses

RAV has partnered in a three-year research project with La Trobe University to investigate the long-term benefits of couple counselling and our Good Connecting relationship education course. We are hopeful the findings will help us achieve even better outcomes for our clients through improved counselling and relationship education.

Family violence and the Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) process

Again in partnership with La Trobe, RAV is undertaking a major longitudinal study into the impact of family violence on the FDR process and outcomes. The study aims to:

• map profiles of clients seeking family mediation
• determine whether family violence history is identified by mediators and how this influences processes and outcome decisions
• examine changes in a range of indices across the pre-mediation, post-mediation and six month follow-up period, and the impact of the mediation process and mediation decisions on these indicators.

Diversity in Australian life

Work is under way on a major study titled: Work, Love and Play in Diverse Australian Family Life with RANational, the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and The Bouverie Centre.

The five-year study is examining same-sex parenting and children's outcomes. It is expected to provide a broad and in-depth examination of a variety of factors that can impact on child outcomes: how parents balance their working commitments and domestic arrangements; characteristics and quality of the parents' relationship and how they parent together; and the family's social, financial and practical resources and social networks.

Dads and kids

RAV partners with primary schools, kindergartens and maternal and child health centres to run programs for fathers and children called Fathers Utilising Networks for Kids (FUN for Kids). These programs allow fathers to examine their parenting styles, establish networks, have more effective communication with their kids, share with other dads and have fun.

The Potter Foundation funded an independent evaluation of the program by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). The final report indicates some very positive outcomes for dads, partners, children and communities.

View the FUN for Kids Program Final Report.

Relationships Indicators Survey: 2011 results

Every two to three years, Relationships Australia (National office) surveys the population to find out what are the main issues and concerns that Australians have in their relationships today.

Results of the 2011 survey, undertaken in partnership with Credit Union Australia and conducted by Woolcott Research across Australia, have been released.

Click here for a copy of the survey.