In the last 50 years, Irish family law and Irish social attitudes towards the family have changed beyond recognition. Although the constitutional idea of the family is still based on marriage, family law now embraces and provides for a diversity of family forms. With the introduction of divorce Ireland has moved from a system which attached shame to the breakdown of marriage to one that provides for the reality of modern family life. Contemporary law now centres around the rights of children and promotes a child-focused approach to dispute resolution. Family Law in Context provides a comprehensive yet accessible foundational text supporting students and lecturers in meeting the learning outcomes of child and family law modules across universities and colleges in Ireland. Family Law in Context goes beyond an exposition of the law, engaging with debates on the nature of family law and law's impact on the forms of family life it seeks to regulate. In doing so it supports students in thinking critically about family law in Ireland.