In-Person Panel PS1.3

Families and Communities in Transition: Support Systems and Social Issues

The Role of Family in Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program  in Southern Philippines 

Alisa Cabacungan, Eva N. Mendoza 

Illicit drug use and dependence persist as a social and medical problem. There are various approaches to deal with this problem, and the community-based drug rehabilitation program (CBDRP) is considered one, particularly for drug users who are assessed as "low" and "moderate" cases. While there are several evaluative studies on CBDRP, these assessments are mostly based on drug users' and community stakeholders' perspectives and experiences. Guided by the Family Systems theory, this paper presents the family members' participation and assessment of the program. It is based on the data generated through a survey of 281 family members of participants in a CBDRP implemented in rural barangays in southern Philippines. Findings show that the family members have participated well in the program and assessed it positively, although they also recognized its limitations, like the lack of aftercare initiatives. As the family becomes more engaged and supportive of the CBDRP program, their role in the program outcomes is more critical. Hence, this paper argues that rural families remain a stable unit that plays a crucial role in the recovery of their drug-dependent members.

Filling the gaps: Grassroots prevention of domestic and family violence in Australia and the Korean-Australian Community 

Hyein Cho

This study focuses on the bridging roles of bilingual workers and community volunteers from the Korean migrant community in Australia, specifically in the context of domestic and family violence (DFV). Through in-depth interviews with 16 practitioners and community volunteers of Korean heritage, the study examines how grassroots Korean community groups are informally filling gaps in DFV services and how effectively they engage with victim-survivors as well as with wider Australian society and the DFV sector. The results indicate that both bilingual workers and community volunteers face multiple barriers in their efforts to fill service gaps, affecting their ability to respond to victim-survivors effectively. This study highlights the significance of acknowledging grassroots groups that are currently filling gaps in DFV services and emphasises the need for systemic support to develop their capacity and enhance their competency in responding to DFV.

Examining Support for Child Visitation: Expectations and Disappointments of Parents who Voluntarily Arranged Child Visitation with a Support Organisation in Japan. 

Takeshi Hamano 

This presentation is based on a survey conducted in 2023 and discusses the parental experience of post-divorce child visitation, often referred to as parenting, with private support organisations in Japan. In the country, the Ministry of Justice is currently discussing amending provisions related to post-divorce parental authority, which has heightened social awareness of the significance of shared parenting after divorce, while considering the 'interests of the child'. Family courts and legal practitioners are occasionally encouraging couples considering divorce to accept shared parenting, with the assistance of private visitation support groups. This presentation analyses the findings of a survey of parents who voluntarily arranged child visitation with Japan's largest private visitation support group. First, it identifies the socio-demographic characteristics of parents who decided to use such support voluntarily. In addition, it examines their experience regarding third-party visitation, examining the extent to which both parents have expectations and concerns about the social and psychological impacts on their children. This presentation places particular emphasis on an in-depth discussion of the reasons for the contrasting evaluations of supported visitation between separated parents and those who live with the child, and proposed ways in which the best interests of these children can be nurtured within this context in Japan.

How does transnational (im)mobility influence the intergenerational relationships of PRC parents? 

Yan Wang 

Transnational mobility is increasingly presented to PRC-born Chinese (PRCC) youth globally as a way to secure economic futures in precarious times by enhancing educational and employment opportunities. Australia is the third-largest destinate country for PRC-born youth. Meanwhile, an increasing number of PRC parents who migrate to Australia followed their young adult “one-child” mainly for ‘family reasons”, temporarily and/or permanently. However, few studies have focused on the impacts of transnational (im)mobility on aging experiences. Particularly little is said about the benefits and effects of PRC parents’ transnational (im)mobility for social, economic and family life. This study explores the trajectory and experience of transition to settlement while transnational (im)mobility. The concerns of this research sit at the intersections of transnational (im)mobility, transition and intergenerational relationships among PRC parents and their adult children. The fieldwork of this study started when it coincided with the beginning of the COVID19—based on qualitative data from 19 participants, including PRC-born young migrants and their parents in Australia and China, adopting in-depth interviews, participant observations and photovoice multiple methods. This study analyzes the experience of these PRC parents and their adult children on their intergenerational relationships during border closed, how do they go along with their relationships on immobility, how they deal with more intense conflicts and feelings, how their intergenerational relationships are influenced by distance and space of mobility/immobility, how they decide the dilemma of whether to stay in Australia/China or to return home/Australia? The findings reveal four interconnected aspects related to intergenerational relationships – the aging aspiration, the digital literacy, the cultural idea of filial piety and the eldercare arrangements. This research makes an essential contribution to the understanding of intergenerational relationships of youth with their parents across both transnational mobility and transition studies, and it is significant for Australia and China because of China’s position in Australia’s diverse society.