Center for Excellence in Family Court Practice

Closing the Gap: Research, Practice, Policy and Shared Parenting grew out of a longstanding debate about parenting time and decision making after separation and divorce.  The project was sparked by a 2011 special issue of Family Court Review, focusing on attachment and family law, which was followed by subsequent response articles and the AFCC 2012 Annual Conference on the same subject.  AFCC convened a think tank of 32 researchers, legal scholars, practitioners and policymakers in January 2013 to examine the issue.  Colleagues with diverse and in some instances contrary perspectives examined barriers to use of research in family law practice and policy, and attempted to identify areas of consensus and clarify differences. 

The think tank resulted in a special issue of Family Court Review in April 2014 that included a Report, commentaries and a series of articles, some of which were co-authored by colleagues who integrated conflicting perspectives on overnights and young children.  The 2014 AFCC Annual Conference followed with presentations from several think tank participants.