Examining leisure for dads not living with their kids

Monday 19 September 2005

Little is known about parenting and fatherhood after separation, so a researcher from the University of Newcastle is embarking on a study to investigate the nature of leisure for fathers who do not live with their children (non-resident fathers).

Dr John Jenkins, from the Centre of Full Employment and Equity (CofFEE), says that in Australia, high rates of divorce, de facto separations, non-marital child birth and incarceration are among a number of factors that have led to more and more fathers not sharing the same home address with their children.

"In Australia, research indicates that a very high proportion of non-resident parents are men, as most children involved in family separation or divorce live with their mother," says Dr Jenkins.

"Sadly, however, a lot of kids have no contact with their non-resident dads, or see them only very rarely, perhaps once or twice a year. Of those fathers who do see their children after separation, many would like to see their kids more often."

The aim of the study is to investigate the extent and nature of the leisure that arises between non-resident fathers and their children.

"Leisure time is extremely important for the physical and emotional development of children and there are so many factors that can influence this aspect of non-resident father-child contact and their interactions. Leisure time with children can also be significant for the emotional well-being of the father," says Dr Jenkins. "In spite of this, the issue of how non-resident fathers and their children play together has not attracted any significant research attention in Australia or overseas."

Factors affecting leisure between non-resident fathers and their children include: existing laws and individual family arrangements concerning child contact; the length and nature of child-parent contact; the age of the children; the geographical distance between the father and child; the father’s work and other family commitments; the financial circumstances of the father and mother; re-partnering by either parent; and the emotional states and health and well being of parents and their children.

"We want to ask questions which will enable us to find out the impact of these circumstances on the quantity and quality of leisure time that non-resident fathers have with their kids. It is important to find out what forms of leisure bring meaningful, fulfilling and rewarding experiences for both father and child and what benefits arise for father and child when they play together."

"We hope this study will improve our knowledge of non-resident fathers and family relationships, particularly the relationships between non-resident fathers and their children," says Dr Jenkins.

Dr John Jenkins is looking for non-resident fathers in the Hunter with children under 18 years of age to participate in confidential in-depth interviews.

For interviews: Dr John Jenkins on (02) 4921 6847.