Reasons for Relocation

Abstract:     
Thirty-eight mothers in Australia who wanted to move with their children were interviewed about their reasons for wanting to relocate. Forty men, all of whom opposed the mother’s move, were also interviewed about what they perceived the mother’s reasons were. There were nine former couples in the study. Most women had more than one reason for wanting to relocate, and there were quite often disparate reasons. In the main, women’s reasons focused on relationships. Conversely, men were more likely to perceive the real reasons as being related to financial issues, jobs and lifestyle. The article explores the possible explanations for these gender differences and the role of the court in examining the ostensible reasons for relocation.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 46

Keywords: family law, parenthood, children, relocation, moving away, mobility, gender differences

JEL Classification: K10, K30, J12

Accepted Paper Series