- Concern over boy's divorce
- By Nicola Webber
- Herald Sun
- 21/06/2004 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: admin ( 100 articles in 2004 )
EXPERTS want more done to help families in crisis after a 14-year-old Melbourne boy won a divorce from his mother.
They claim youngsters acting on a whim must not be able to take radical legal action.
But while concerns have been raised about the divorce, family experts also insist children's interests must be protected.
The warnings come after a Melbourne teenager was granted a split from his mother on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.
Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Joe Tucci said such cases were uncommon. And he said courts usually needed "fairly serious evidence" before granting such a divorce.
"Irreconcilable differences is only used as a last resort. It is rare," he said. "It is there to protect children's interests. And to give them an adult to be a guardian."
Opposition community services spokeswoman Helen Shardey raised concerns not enough was done to help the family reconcile.
They claim youngsters acting on a whim must not be able to take radical legal action.
But while concerns have been raised about the divorce, family experts also insist children's interests must be protected.
The warnings come after a Melbourne teenager was granted a split from his mother on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.
Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Joe Tucci said such cases were uncommon. And he said courts usually needed "fairly serious evidence" before granting such a divorce.
"Irreconcilable differences is only used as a last resort. It is rare," he said. "It is there to protect children's interests. And to give them an adult to be a guardian."
Opposition community services spokeswoman Helen Shardey raised concerns not enough was done to help the family reconcile.
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