Responsibility, Law and the Family

Focusing on moral, social and legal responsibilities as opposed to rights or obligations, this volume explores the concept of responsibility in family life, law and practice. Divided into four parts, the study considers the nature of family responsibility; constructions of children's responsibilities; shifting conceptions of family responsibilities; and family, responsibility and the law. The collection brings together leading experts from the disciplines of sociology, socio-legal studies and law to discuss responsibilities prior to birth, responsibilities for children, as well as responsibilities of children and of the state towards family members. The volume informs and challenges the developing conceptualization of responsibilities which arise in interdependent, intimate and caring relationships and their legal regulation. It will be of great interest to researchers and practitioners working in this complex field.

Chapter 1 Introduction: Conceptualising Family Responsibility, Jo Bridgeman, Heather Keating; Part 1 The Nature of Family Responsibility; Chapter 2 The Right to Responsible Parents, Michael Freeman; Chapter 3 Together Forever? The Rights and Responsibilities of Adult Children and their Parents, Jonathan Herring; Chapter 4 Being a Responsible Mother: New Labour Policy Discourses versus Lone Mothers’ Contextualised Accounts, Harriet Churchill; Chapter 5 Overview, John Williams; Part 2 Constructions of Children’s Responsibilities; Chapter 6 Responsible Children and Children’s Responsibilities? Sibling Caretaking and Babysitting by School-age Children, Virginia Morrow; Chapter 7 Being Responsible, Becoming Responsible and Having Responsibility Thrust upon Them: Constructing the ‘Responsibility’ of Children and Parents, Heather Keating; Chapter 8 Responsibility, Children and Childhood, Adrian James; Part 3 Shifting Conceptions of Family Responsibilities; Chapter 9 Engaging Fathers? Responsibility, Law and the ‘Problem of Fatherhood’, Richard Collier; Chapter 10 Responsible Fathers: Paternity, the Blood Tie and Family Responsibility, Craig Lind; Chapter 11 Being Responsible: ‘Good’ Parents and Children’s Autonomy, Wade Amanda; Part 4 Family, Responsibility and the Law; Chapter 12 Parental Responsibility, Responsible Parenting and Legal Regulation, Bridgeman Jo; Chapter 13 Family Law and Family Responsibility, Alison Diduck; Chapter 14 Conclusion: Regulating for Responsibility in an Age of Complex Families, Craig Lind;

Jo Bridgeman, Heather Keating and Craig Lind are Senior Lecturers in Law in the Sussex Law School. Jo Bridgeman's research employs feminist legal theory to analyse the law relating to care of children. Heather Keating's research focuses upon the criminal law relating to children both as offenders and victims. Craig Lind's research interests are in the areas of gender and sexuality, children in law, and family regulation across cultural divides.