Post-Separation Parent-Child Virtual Contact: Opportunities and Challenges

The first phase of a proposed three-phase socio-legal project investigating indirect parent-child contact via electronic means (virtual contact) after parental separation.

About the project

Virtual contact refers to post-separation indirect contact between a parent and their child(ren) using electronic, digital or online communication. In addition to more traditional texts, phone calls and emails, this could include the use of video conferencing software such as Zoom, Skype or Facetime; social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp to exchange text or voice messages and images; or playing online games.

This project is investigating the opportunities and challenges of virtual contact from multiple perspectives. Phase One will focus on legal and academic perspectives involving: a literature review; a case law analysis; consultation with key stakeholders; and a nationwide online survey of family justice professionals.

The overall objective of the entire three-phase project is to add to the evidence base about the use of post-separation virtual contact in New Zealand and provide separated families and family justice professionals with up-to-date information, resources and guidance on how parent-child relationships can be successfully and safely facilitated and maintained after parental separation through the use of electronic/digital modes of communication.

Grant amount

$122,039 for work in 2023-2024.

About the researchers

Dr Megan Gollop is the Deputy Director and a Senior Research Fellow at the Children’s Issues Centre in the Faculty of Law, University of Otago. Her work predominately focuses on the rights and well-being of children and families with relevance to policy and practice. Megan’s research interests include socio-legal research with parents, children and family justice professionals on issues relating to separation and divorce; children and digital media; and children’s perspectives.

Professors Nicola Taylor, Jacinta Ruru, and Patrick Vakaoti are project advisers.

Contact

Dr Megan Gollop, Deputy Director/Senior Research Fellow

Children’s Issues Centre | Manawa Rangahau Tamariki

Faculty of Law | Te Kaupeka Tātati Ture

University of Otago | Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou

megan.gollop@otago.ac.nz