Strengthening Relationships for Young People in Residential Care. Young people in residential care face major challenges in forming positive relationships, many having experienced adults as a source of threat rather than safety. This project aims to investigate practices within therapeutic residential care that enable or limit young people’s identity formation, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing. This research will generate nuanced knowledge informing interpersonal and institution ....Strengthening Relationships for Young People in Residential Care. Young people in residential care face major challenges in forming positive relationships, many having experienced adults as a source of threat rather than safety. This project aims to investigate practices within therapeutic residential care that enable or limit young people’s identity formation, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing. This research will generate nuanced knowledge informing interpersonal and institutional change. Expected outcomes include improved approaches to therapeutic care and to methods for enabling the participation of young people in care in matters that may change their life trajectory on exiting care. Expected benefits include more responsive policies and frameworks for practice.Read moreRead less
Understanding Foster Carers' Motivations: Personal, Political & Historical Perspectives on Care Provision in Australia. Due to the increasing number of children in care nationally, and the declining number of available foster care placements, there is current considerable interest in understanding the most appropriate means to recruit and retain foster carers. This project involves a national interview study of carers from several Australian States to understand the factors that most strongly mo ....Understanding Foster Carers' Motivations: Personal, Political & Historical Perspectives on Care Provision in Australia. Due to the increasing number of children in care nationally, and the declining number of available foster care placements, there is current considerable interest in understanding the most appropriate means to recruit and retain foster carers. This project involves a national interview study of carers from several Australian States to understand the factors that most strongly motivate people to become carers. Based on interviews with carers and other important stakeholders, the results will help us to understand the nature of the foster-carer role within the current political and social climate and help inform future national recruitment strategies.
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Post-parental care planning for rural people with intellectual disabilities. This project addresses the urgent issue of post-parental care plans for people with an intellectual disability and their older parental carers in rural areas. The project aims to co-design a post-parental care planning approach and resources in collaboration with people with an intellectual disability, older parental carers and disability services. The results will be used by the researchers to generate new knowledge on ....Post-parental care planning for rural people with intellectual disabilities. This project addresses the urgent issue of post-parental care plans for people with an intellectual disability and their older parental carers in rural areas. The project aims to co-design a post-parental care planning approach and resources in collaboration with people with an intellectual disability, older parental carers and disability services. The results will be used by the researchers to generate new knowledge on post-parental care transitions and how to construct post-parental care plans within the context of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The planning approach and resources will assist families and services to avert crisis transitions through improved coordination, preparation and support for post-parental care. Read moreRead less
The effects of child disability on carer's labour market outcomes in Australia. Increasing prevalence of children with disabilities in Australia accompanied by lack of research makes this study imperative. The innovative approach adopted in this project means there will be a number of national benefits resulting from this study.
- It will help governments in Australia make more informed policies toward providing assistance to affected families, which will reduce the burden on families caring ....The effects of child disability on carer's labour market outcomes in Australia. Increasing prevalence of children with disabilities in Australia accompanied by lack of research makes this study imperative. The innovative approach adopted in this project means there will be a number of national benefits resulting from this study.
- It will help governments in Australia make more informed policies toward providing assistance to affected families, which will reduce the burden on families caring for children with disabilities.
- More informed policy will improve the well-being of such children.
- It will advance knowledge in the fields of labour and health economics, and econometrics, and hence enhance Australian research reputation in the fields.Read moreRead less
Moving beyond crisis management: Creating a future for people with disabilities living with ageing parents. The needs of thousands of people with disabilities being cared for by ageing parents are beyond the capacity of our existing formal mechanisms for providing care. In order to mitigate this national crisis in support, this research will establish effective, resource efficient support strategies where there are currently no plans in place for future care arrangements. By enhancing the capaci ....Moving beyond crisis management: Creating a future for people with disabilities living with ageing parents. The needs of thousands of people with disabilities being cared for by ageing parents are beyond the capacity of our existing formal mechanisms for providing care. In order to mitigate this national crisis in support, this research will establish effective, resource efficient support strategies where there are currently no plans in place for future care arrangements. By enhancing the capacity of the community to provide support the benefit of existing formal supports will be extended to address the needs of more families. This project will position Australian disability research and support at the forefront of international efforts to legitimize the claim of people with disabilities and their families on community resources.Read moreRead less
Support needs assessment: a developmental model for use in support, training and funding for individuals with single and multiple disabilities. This research project aims to construct and trial a new model for the assessment of the support needs of persons with disabilities. It addresses a number of critical deficiencies which recent research has shown to undermine the reliability, validity and usefulness of existing support needs instruments. Specifically, it is proposed to collect data that ....Support needs assessment: a developmental model for use in support, training and funding for individuals with single and multiple disabilities. This research project aims to construct and trial a new model for the assessment of the support needs of persons with disabilities. It addresses a number of critical deficiencies which recent research has shown to undermine the reliability, validity and usefulness of existing support needs instruments. Specifically, it is proposed to collect data that will inform the determination of the support needs of people with different kinds and combinations of disabilities. Variations in maintenance and intervention supports over time and context will be considered. The assessment system planned will have the flexibility to meet a number of potential user objectives.Read moreRead less
Carers and social inclusion: new frameworks, evidence and policy lessons. This project aims to improve our understanding of informal carers' social inclusion through new conceptual frameworks, geographical and longitudinal analysis and lessons from international best practice. The outcomes of the project will inform Australia policies fostering social inclusion and the social and economic wellbeing of Australian carers.
Research Utilisation in Child Protection Policy: Understanding and Conceptualising the Role of Research in Social Policy Development. The findings of this project will have significant benefits for vulnerable children and families by enhancing the capacity for research-informed policy in child protection. In this way, the project will also have significant flow-on economic benefits for Local, State and Federal Governments by decreasing the social and economic costs associated with child abuse an ....Research Utilisation in Child Protection Policy: Understanding and Conceptualising the Role of Research in Social Policy Development. The findings of this project will have significant benefits for vulnerable children and families by enhancing the capacity for research-informed policy in child protection. In this way, the project will also have significant flow-on economic benefits for Local, State and Federal Governments by decreasing the social and economic costs associated with child abuse and neglect. Research funding will have a greater impact by the increased understanding this study will provide about how research can be more effectively used in policy.Read moreRead less
Disruptive children in alternative care: new approaches to the prevention of placement breakdown. Recent evidence suggests that many of the widely publicised problems in Australian foster care are due to the inability of foster families to care for children with challenging behaviours. Our own research suggests that such children typically experience 10 - 20 placement changes annually and display very poor developmental outcomes. The aim of this project, then, is to undertake a comprehensive int ....Disruptive children in alternative care: new approaches to the prevention of placement breakdown. Recent evidence suggests that many of the widely publicised problems in Australian foster care are due to the inability of foster families to care for children with challenging behaviours. Our own research suggests that such children typically experience 10 - 20 placement changes annually and display very poor developmental outcomes. The aim of this project, then, is to undertake a comprehensive international review and national trial of programmes for the reduction of placement breakdown. The project will provide insights into the social histories of the target population, assist in the design of interventions, and inform foster care policy.
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Sowing the Seeds of Innovation in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The approach developed in this project will have significant benefits for child and family service organisations. It will enhance the spread and sustainability of promising preventive programs within the child and family services sector. In this way, vulnerable children and families will benefit from the increased availability of such programs designed to enhance their life opportunities. The project will also have sign ....Sowing the Seeds of Innovation in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The approach developed in this project will have significant benefits for child and family service organisations. It will enhance the spread and sustainability of promising preventive programs within the child and family services sector. In this way, vulnerable children and families will benefit from the increased availability of such programs designed to enhance their life opportunities. The project will also have significant flow-on economic benefits for Local, State and Federal Governments by decreasing the social and economic costs associated with child abuse and neglect.Read moreRead less