Relationships Australia conducts research and evaluation to improve our services and inform our advocacy on issues affecting Australian communities
Advocacy
Relationships Australia national office advocates on the importance of respectful relationships at all levels, and regularly makes submissions to a range of inquiries and consultations to influence the policy, services and systems that impact our clients and the broader community.
You can review our Submissions below.
Advocacy
September 18, 2023
Submission to the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide – Relationships Australia’s Supplementary Submission
Submission to the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide
Advocacy
August 30, 2023
Submission to the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide – Collaboration between Relationships Australia, Suicide Prevention Australia, Mental Health Australia
Submission to the Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide – Collaboration between Relationships Australia, Suicide Prevention Australia, Mental Health Australia
Advocacy
July 25, 2023
Submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into the Carer Recognition Act 2010 (Cth)
Advocacy
June 30, 2023
Submission on Youth Justice and Child Wellbeing Reform across Australia
Submission to the Australian Human Rights Commissions Inquiry into Youth Justice and Child Wellbeing Reform across Australia
Advocacy
June 29, 2023
Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights regarding Australia’s Human Rights Framework
Research
Relationships Australia is committed to evidence-informed practice. We are involved in a variety of research projects that support our advocacy efforts. We are committed to integrating the best available research and data evidence across our service offerings.
You can view our key research topics below
Research
September 27, 2023
Feeling unsafe in your most important relationship
Feeling unsafe disagreeing with someone does not always equate to violence; however, it can be indicative of risk factors associated with family and domestic violence and is used as a screening tool by Relationships Australia. National statistics demonstrate 9% of people in Australia feel unsafe disagreeing with the most important person in their life. Our […]
Research
June 28, 2023
How do relationship struggles affect loneliness?
We asked our website users a series of questions that, when analysed together, provide insight into whether someone is feeling lonely. We found that the people using the Relationships Australia website felt lonely at more than twice the rate of the general Australian population. 1 in 2 (56%) website users are socially lonely, while 43% […]
Research
May 26, 2023
What is the most common relationship problem? Pressures affecting relationships today
Key Findings We asked our website users about the pressures affecting the most important relationship in their life – Almost 1 in 2 (49%) people said mental health was affecting their relationship. When compared with national data, mental health appears to affect our website users at twice the rate of the general population. Other key […]
Research
July 12, 2021
Enduring Changes to Home Life from the Pandemic
Enduring Changes to Home Life from the Pandemic Sixteen months since restrictions were introduced in Australia, and twelve months since we completed our COVID-19 and its effects on relationships series, we have re-introduced the monthly survey to explore the ongoing effects COVID-19 is having on people’s home life.See full report here.
Research
October 29, 2020
Self-care
Self-care is a term used to describe the deliberate actions people take to look after their physical, emotional and mental health. Self-care is a very individual concept, as people find respite with different activities (Every Mind 2020). Given the challenges that 2020 has brought, self-care has become an important way for people to look after […]
Research
March 7, 2023
Including youth voices in community services
What is the project? The latest project from Relationships Australia’s National Research Network, in collaboration with the Australian National University, explores how to better include the voices of children and young people in the design, delivery, and evaluation of community services. Results The project is in the development phase. More information will be made available […]
Research
November 15, 2022
Relationship Indicators
What is the project? Relationships Indicators is a survey commissioned by Relationships Australia into the state of relationships in Australia. The Relationships Indicators survey was previously run from 1998-2011. In response to the enormous effects of the pandemic and other challenges in recent years, Relationships Australia recognised a shift in Australia and was interested in gaining […]
Research
July 7, 2021
Post-Separation Co-parenting Apps: Can They Help Families Avoid Conflict?
What is the project? The ubiquity of smartphones has been accompanied by a proliferation of apps to help separated parents manage their post-separation arrangements. Family law professionals are often asked about these apps by clients—yet there has been no empirical evidence that either professionals or clients can draw on about the potential benefits and risks […]
Research
November 7, 2019
Family and Relationship Services Outcomes Study
What is the project? The FaRS Outcomes project developed and tested a standardised methodology to demonstrate outcomes for clients receiving FaRS counselling services. This project was established by the Relationships Australia National Research Network and funded by the Relationships Australia Federation. The project incorporated a co-design approach with clients and practitioners to identify relevant and […]
Research
June 1, 2017
The Impact of Family Dispute Resolution at Relationships Australia
What is the project? In 2017, the Relationships Australia National Research Network implemented a large project funded by the Relationships Australia Federation. The study was designed to generate evidence on the outcomes of Relationships Australia’s Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) services, in both parenting and property disputes. The study employed a longitudinal survey design with quantitative […]
Reports
March 17, 2023
Remembering and recovering from COVID-19 | Multicultural experiences in Melbourne during the pandemic
Journal articles
June 2, 2022
Boosting neighbourhood identification to benefit wellbeing: Evidence from diverse community samples
Emerging research has suggested the importance of neighbourhood identification for supporting community wellbeing, especially in disadvantaged areas. However, these relationships have not been tested across diverse neighbourhoods, nor in experimental studies that might establish causal links. To address this, we recruited a diverse community sample of over 3700 participants across two studies. Study 1 was […]
Infographics
March 18, 2022
Infographic – Neighbour Day 2019-2020 Findings – Key Outcomes explained
Infographics
March 18, 2022
Infographic (Plain Language) – Neighbour Day 2021 Findings – Plain English Research Explanation
Infographics
March 8, 2022
Infographic – Neighbour Day 2021 Findings – Improving neighbourhood identification to create respectful relationships
Neighbours Every Day: Create Belonging
Neighbours Every Day is Relationships Australia’s social connection campaign: a leading Australian campaign promoting the benefits of social connection and building capacity for all to make and maintain respectful relationships.
Research shows that when people connect with their communities, they have a greater sense of belonging, which leads to improved mental well-being and a reduction in loneliness. It also contributes to strength and resilience in the face of external pressures (such as the COVID pandemic).
