The Kids in Communities Study: national investigation of community level effects on children's developmental outcomes. This project (a cross-disciplinary collaboration) will investigate community level factors influencing early childhood developmental outcomes using a mixed methods approach in up to 10 communities across Australia. This will result in a potential set of measures or indicators that reflect communities that are good for children.
Managing risk in community services. A preliminary study of the impacts of risk management on Victorian services and clients. Most older people and those with a disability or a mental illness now live in the community. They receive help from a vast range of community services, which are also expected to keep them safe, and their workers and the wider community safe. Risk management is now an important part of the work of all services and businesses involved in community care. This project will s ....Managing risk in community services. A preliminary study of the impacts of risk management on Victorian services and clients. Most older people and those with a disability or a mental illness now live in the community. They receive help from a vast range of community services, which are also expected to keep them safe, and their workers and the wider community safe. Risk management is now an important part of the work of all services and businesses involved in community care. This project will study the unforeseen impacts and costs of the new risk management, identify the problems, and explore the ways risk management can achieve its goals without reducing services and limiting the lives of the clients.Read moreRead less
Gambling and Pathways into Homelessness. Does gambling contribute to homelessness in Australia? What aspects of gambling are most likely to contribute to the incidence of homelessness and how does this relate to other dimensions of addictive behaviour? This project examines the role of gambling as a trigger of homelessness through direct means such as evictions and loss of employment, as well as indirect pathways such as serving as a contributing to the incidence of domestic violence and famil ....Gambling and Pathways into Homelessness. Does gambling contribute to homelessness in Australia? What aspects of gambling are most likely to contribute to the incidence of homelessness and how does this relate to other dimensions of addictive behaviour? This project examines the role of gambling as a trigger of homelessness through direct means such as evictions and loss of employment, as well as indirect pathways such as serving as a contributing to the incidence of domestic violence and family breakdown. The research will examine what types of intervention - at what points in the pathway into homelessness - are likely be most effective. The research will lead to better policies and the enhanced delivery of services to this vulnerable population.Read moreRead less
A national comparative analysis of child, family and service factors contributing to successful and unsuccessful reunification outcomes in out-of-home care. This project will inform policies relating to the sustainability of current numbers in care as well as decision-making relating to the safe return of children to their families. Insights will be obtained into the multiple factors that contribute to successful reunification and post-reunification outcomes. The study will help to identify chil ....A national comparative analysis of child, family and service factors contributing to successful and unsuccessful reunification outcomes in out-of-home care. This project will inform policies relating to the sustainability of current numbers in care as well as decision-making relating to the safe return of children to their families. Insights will be obtained into the multiple factors that contribute to successful reunification and post-reunification outcomes. The study will help to identify children most at risk of remaining in care (e.g., indigenous children), review structural decision-making tools or specialist services to assist children to return home, and provide a nationally tested methodology for studying, recording, and measuring reunification processes and outcomes.Read moreRead less
The relocation tool kit: A guide for implementing relocation policies that enhance residents health and well-being and social inclusion. The project aims to identify and rank in order of importance key factors affecting the health, wellbeing and social inclusion of disadvantaged groups when they are rehoused as part of housing upgrading projects. This information will increase our understanding of the impacts of changes to housing quality, social networks (familial, friends), neighbourhood envir ....The relocation tool kit: A guide for implementing relocation policies that enhance residents health and well-being and social inclusion. The project aims to identify and rank in order of importance key factors affecting the health, wellbeing and social inclusion of disadvantaged groups when they are rehoused as part of housing upgrading projects. This information will increase our understanding of the impacts of changes to housing quality, social networks (familial, friends), neighbourhood environments (reputation, socio-economic mix, services) and project management models (resident involvement, community consultation processes). The expected outcome is a tool kit for policy makers to form innovative responses to promote health and well being and social inclusion amongst the most disadvantaged groups in Australian society.Read moreRead less
Beyond safety: Ethical practice involving children. This project aims to investigate the role of ethical practice in improving child safety. Focusing especially on those who are at greater risk of harm, the findings will contribute to ensuring Australia’s children are safe and treated with dignity and respect. Expected outcomes include better-targeted, child-informed policy and practice for organisations involved with children, and important knowledge for organisations seeking to optimise, promo ....Beyond safety: Ethical practice involving children. This project aims to investigate the role of ethical practice in improving child safety. Focusing especially on those who are at greater risk of harm, the findings will contribute to ensuring Australia’s children are safe and treated with dignity and respect. Expected outcomes include better-targeted, child-informed policy and practice for organisations involved with children, and important knowledge for organisations seeking to optimise, promote and protect children’s safety and wellbeingRead moreRead less
Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new ....Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of the relationship between social exclusion and outcomes in adolescence as well as entry points for policy intervention. Addressing social exclusion in adolescence will lead to improved outcomes in health, education and productivity, and a more socially-cohesive society.Read moreRead less
Australian family diversity: Individual experiences and public attitudes. Whilst Australian families continue to diversify, public perceptions and policies related to families appear entrenched in a normative understanding of family. This project will provide a genealogy of public and policy accounts of Australian families, map public perceptions of a diverse range of family structures and modes of family formation, and identify how differing cohorts of Australian families talk about their famil ....Australian family diversity: Individual experiences and public attitudes. Whilst Australian families continue to diversify, public perceptions and policies related to families appear entrenched in a normative understanding of family. This project will provide a genealogy of public and policy accounts of Australian families, map public perceptions of a diverse range of family structures and modes of family formation, and identify how differing cohorts of Australian families talk about their families. Together, these strands will produce a unified body of knowledge about Australian families that will allow for the identification of factors influencing public perceptions, and thus the development of policy initiatives aimed at recognising family diversity and challenging social norms.Read moreRead less
Making a Difference: Building on Children's Perspectives on Economic Adversity. Governments allocate a large volume of resources to address the needs of children. Investigating children's perspectives on the nature and impacts of economic adversity in the family, at school and in the community will provide a better understanding of how policy can make a difference to children's lives. The direct involvement of major government and non-government agencies in the research will strengthen its relev ....Making a Difference: Building on Children's Perspectives on Economic Adversity. Governments allocate a large volume of resources to address the needs of children. Investigating children's perspectives on the nature and impacts of economic adversity in the family, at school and in the community will provide a better understanding of how policy can make a difference to children's lives. The direct involvement of major government and non-government agencies in the research will strengthen its relevance and impact. The resulting improvements in service design and delivery will generate substantial economic and social benefits in areas that align with the designated national research priorities.Read moreRead less
Exploring new opportunities for Local Government to facilitate innovative partnership options that link social, economic and employment development. The project seeks to formulate an expanded role for Australian Local Government in light of OECD debates on localism in the formation of partnerships for economic, employment and social development. It will redress the under-utilisation of Local Government's specific knowledge and resources that could facilitate economic, employment and social devel ....Exploring new opportunities for Local Government to facilitate innovative partnership options that link social, economic and employment development. The project seeks to formulate an expanded role for Australian Local Government in light of OECD debates on localism in the formation of partnerships for economic, employment and social development. It will redress the under-utilisation of Local Government's specific knowledge and resources that could facilitate economic, employment and social development, particularly in disadvantaged communities. In addition to the theoretical and practical knowledge gained regarding localism and partnerships, which has immediate community benefit, it is expected that the project's outcomes will have the potential to be transferable to other Local Government jurisdictions in Australia and hence be of national benefit. Read moreRead less