{mosimage}Psychology Today (May, 1994) summarized the information we have about step-families.
They find hopeful signs for the one in three children with a step-parent (by 2000
there will be more
children with a step-parent than there are children living with both biological parents),
for example:

Second families can feel disadvantaged when there is a first
family to support. How does the Child Support Scheme treat second
families?

{mosimage}When a payer re-partners and has another
child or children, a larger amount of the payer's income becomes exempt
before child support is calculated. The minimum amount set aside
increases from $13 983
to $23 349 plus a per child allowance depending on the age of the child.

Changes usually take effect from the date a parent tells CSA.

RESPECT AND RELATIONSHIPS…CHICKEN OR EGG?   by Yvonne Kelly, Stepfamily coach

Respect or Relationship – Chicken or Egg? Which does come first? If you
ask an adult the answer will probably be… respect is the foundation
of any good relationship – you can't have a relationship without
respect. If you ask a child, although you probably wouldn't, their
answer would depend on where they are at developmentally and their
level of understanding of what respect means. Children aren't born
knowing what respect means and look to adults to provide some role
modelling. They do know however, how important people and relationships
are to them; they are always on the look out for someone who sincerely
wants to have a relationship with them.