Families Commission Research into Child Support Arrangements
The Families Commission wants to better understand the needs of separated parents and the difficulties they face.
We have commissioned Colmar Brunton, an independent research company, to carry out research into how separated parents manage the care and contact of their children.
The results will be used by the Commission to help us form a view on what works and what doesn’t work for separated parents in New Zealand, and whether changes to the child support system are needed.
We will conduct both a postal survey and a number of in–depth interviews with parents who have separated. This research will begin late March 2008.
We are keen to have as broad a range of parents’ views on child support arrangements as possible. Our research will therefore involve as many men as women, and parents from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, situations and incomes; including separated parents who:
- have made private child support arrangements
- are part of Inland Revenue’s child support system
- have shared care arrangements
- are the main care giver
- are not the main care-giver
- have re-partnered
- both receive and pay child support.
Inland Revenue has agreed, on the Families Commission's behalf, to invite 10,000 child support and Working for Families Tax Credits parents to take part in the questionnaire. In posting out this questionnaire, Inland Revenue has not shared any personal information, including contact details, with the Families Commission or Colmar Brunton.
The research is completely voluntary, and parents’ identities remain confidential. The information being collected by Colmar Brunton will be aggregated so that individual responses and the identity of parents remain anonymous.
The overall results will be shared with Inland Revenue. The Commission expects to complete this research in November 2008 and to publish in early 2009.
If you have questions regarding the questionnaire you have received, please call Colmar Brunton on free-phone 0508 265 627. If you have questions about the aim or purpose of the research, please email: enquiries@nzfamilies.org.nz