Mending Broken Families: Social Policies for Divorced Families

(Paperback)

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Since the 1970s, policy-makers and advocates for mothers, fathers, and children have attempted to remedy some of the inherent problems of divorce_such as conflict over the children, delegation of decision-making responsibiities, poor communication skills, and lack of knowledge about children experiencing divorce_through state-level legislation for divorcing or divorced families. These policies have taken the forms of mandated mediation, legal presumptions for particular custodial arrangements, child support orders, divorce education programs for parents, and parenting plans. Mending Broken Families introduces social policies for divorced families by discussing their history and provides the first comprehensive assessment and review of their effectiveness.

Reviews

Mending Broken Families provides an excellent integration of social policy issues with the psychological literature related to divorce and custody. There are many publications dealing with the legal aspects of social policy as it relates to divorceas well as other publications related to the psychological impact of divorce on children. This is one of the few books that addresses the relationships between both aspects of divorce and custody issues.... -- Leighton E. Stamps, University of New Orleans Department of Psychology
Douglas's book will set the standard for solid scholarship on social policies to assist divorcing families. She shows convincingly that we have come a long wayand even more convincingly that we still have an even longer way to go before our programming achieves maximum benefits for this vast segment of our citizenry. -- Sanford L. Braver, Arizona State University Department of Psychology
As a convert from pessimism to cautious optimism regarding the effects of social policies on the behavior and attitudes of families of divorce, Douglas traces the history of divorce law, mediation, divorce education, parenting plans, and custody laws in the US. * Reference and Research Book News *
In this meticulously researched work, Douglas presents a comprehensive and balanced analysis of multiple local and state-wide approaches which, if legally mandated, together may facilitate cooperative parenting and parental involvement by divorced parents. A valuable contribution to the literature on divorced families and a guide for researchers, policymakers, and advocates seeking to put childrens well-being first. -- Solangel Maldonado, Seton Hall University School of Law
Mending Broken Families provides an excellent integration of social policy issues with the psychological literature related to divorce and custody. There are many publications dealing with the legal aspects of social policy as it relates to divorce as well as other publications related to the psychological impact of divorce on children. This is one of the few books that addresses the relationships between both aspects of divorce and custody issues. -- Leighton E. Stamps, University of New Orleans Department of Psychology

Author Bio

Emily M. Douglas is assistant professor in the Master of Social Work Program at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts. Her background is in public policy and her work addresses social policies that affect children and families.