Engaging adolescents in schooling: A longitudinal study of student use of electronic self-assessment tools within advocacy models of student support. This research investigates the effectiveness of a program of student support directed to reducing adolescent disengagement from learning and early school leaving. There are potentially significant economic and social benefits to the broader Australian community, particularly in country areas and low socio-economic urban areas. Completing school pro ....Engaging adolescents in schooling: A longitudinal study of student use of electronic self-assessment tools within advocacy models of student support. This research investigates the effectiveness of a program of student support directed to reducing adolescent disengagement from learning and early school leaving. There are potentially significant economic and social benefits to the broader Australian community, particularly in country areas and low socio-economic urban areas. Completing school provides young people with a broader range of options for their economic future, promotes social inclusion, and provides greater protection against negative consequences of unemployment, such as isolation, depression, and substance abuse. Enjoyment of schooling increases the ability of young people to develop to their full potential, and lead healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Read moreRead less
Supervision of psychotherapy: Understanding the processes that build professional competence. Psychotherapy can save lives and improve well-being. Clinical supervision is used to improve psychotherapy effectiveness and support therapists. This study contributes to the national research priorities of promoting and maintaining good health by building our knowledge of clinical supervision processes and how they influence therapist practice and client outcomes. The study will lead to an evidence-bas ....Supervision of psychotherapy: Understanding the processes that build professional competence. Psychotherapy can save lives and improve well-being. Clinical supervision is used to improve psychotherapy effectiveness and support therapists. This study contributes to the national research priorities of promoting and maintaining good health by building our knowledge of clinical supervision processes and how they influence therapist practice and client outcomes. The study will lead to an evidence-based model of effective supervision practice, which will enhance future service delivery, prevent therapist burnout, and improve client outcomes. The study will also inform development of: measures of core supervisory processes, clinical supervision practice standards, supervisor training, and professional development programs. Read moreRead less
From colonisation to conciliation: A collaborative examination of social work practice with Indigenous populations. The social work profession, along with many other human service professions, has a complex history of working with Indigenous populations. One of the significant factors in the maintenance of this problematic relationship is the marginalisation of Indigenous issues within mainstream social work practice. This project, in collaborating with Indigenous communities, social work practi ....From colonisation to conciliation: A collaborative examination of social work practice with Indigenous populations. The social work profession, along with many other human service professions, has a complex history of working with Indigenous populations. One of the significant factors in the maintenance of this problematic relationship is the marginalisation of Indigenous issues within mainstream social work practice. This project, in collaborating with Indigenous communities, social work practitioners and academics in Australia and the United States, will examine current practice needs and their interrelationship with current social work pedagogy. This analysis will identify the ways in which social work practice can enhance, rather than inhibit, Indigenous well-being, and how social work education can be reframed so as to engender such practice.Read moreRead less
Enhancing psychosocial adaptation after temporal lobectomy surgery for control of epilepsy seizures. Preliminary data from individuals who have experienced temporal lobectomy surgery for control of epilepsy seizures suggests that (a) psychosocial adjustment problems may occur even when the neurological outcome is excellent, and (b) satisfaction with surgery/ post-surgery adjustment relates to perceived control over pre-surgery decision- making. The aim of this study is to improve pre-surgery pro ....Enhancing psychosocial adaptation after temporal lobectomy surgery for control of epilepsy seizures. Preliminary data from individuals who have experienced temporal lobectomy surgery for control of epilepsy seizures suggests that (a) psychosocial adjustment problems may occur even when the neurological outcome is excellent, and (b) satisfaction with surgery/ post-surgery adjustment relates to perceived control over pre-surgery decision- making. The aim of this study is to improve pre-surgery procedure and post-surgery support by investigating psychosocial outcomes of epilepsy surgery, and relating these to perceived and actual pre-surgery preparation, including education, counselling and social support. The results of the study will inform development of resource material for the medical profession and potential surgery clients, as well as contributing to improved understanding of the relationship between pre-surgery procedures and psychosocial outcomes.Read moreRead less
Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pa ....Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pattern'. Design patterns combine research-based evidence and the knowledge of experienced practitioners in a format which is relatively easy to communicate, learn and apply. They are not yet used in teaching with technology. We will generate and test design patterns for learning through discussion in technology-based and other classroom settings.Read moreRead less
Womens access to welfare after prison - an international comparison. The aim of the proposed research is to undertake an comparative analysis of the services accessed by female prisoners following their return to the community and the potential of these services to reduce re-offending. This analysis will build upon the current ARC project in Victoria and a similar project in Scotland. Scotland and Victoria provide an interesting focus for comparative research, having similar populations, similar ....Womens access to welfare after prison - an international comparison. The aim of the proposed research is to undertake an comparative analysis of the services accessed by female prisoners following their return to the community and the potential of these services to reduce re-offending. This analysis will build upon the current ARC project in Victoria and a similar project in Scotland. Scotland and Victoria provide an interesting focus for comparative research, having similar populations, similar numbers of women imprisoned and similar increases during the last decade in the daily female prison population. Moreover in both jurisdictions initiatives are being introduced to enhance women's access to services when they leave prison.
The purpose of the proposed research will be to develop and implement a framework for the comparative analysis of data on women's experiences after prison that will be generated by two funded studies in Scotland and Victoria.Read moreRead less
Women's access to welfare after prison. This project aims to examine the nature of welfare services available to women after they leave Victorian prisons, how the women access these services and the extent to which the services meet their needs and contribute to their rehabilitation. Although female ex-offenders are likely to have a high need for welfare services, and the evidence suggests that these services can make a difference to their successful re-integration, little is known about whether ....Women's access to welfare after prison. This project aims to examine the nature of welfare services available to women after they leave Victorian prisons, how the women access these services and the extent to which the services meet their needs and contribute to their rehabilitation. Although female ex-offenders are likely to have a high need for welfare services, and the evidence suggests that these services can make a difference to their successful re-integration, little is known about whether and how women access services or benefit from them. The results of the project will inform the development of welfare services by the industry partner and elsewhere.
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Evaluation of couple counselling: Short and long-term effectiveness. Relationship breakdown and marital distress are serious and growing problems, affecting Australian families, their health, work productivity, socio-economic well-being, and children's development. This partnership with Australia's largest provider of relationship services has potential to a strong evidence base to inform current practice, future services, and training of counsellors. The study makes important contributions to t ....Evaluation of couple counselling: Short and long-term effectiveness. Relationship breakdown and marital distress are serious and growing problems, affecting Australian families, their health, work productivity, socio-economic well-being, and children's development. This partnership with Australia's largest provider of relationship services has potential to a strong evidence base to inform current practice, future services, and training of counsellors. The study makes important contributions to the national research priorities of promoting and maintaining good health, ageing well, ageing productively, and strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. It will inform future government policy, funding of relationship counselling services and the health and happiness of Australian families.Read moreRead less
Creating the conditions for collective impact: transforming the child serving system in disadvantaged communities. No one institution can close the gap in child wellbeing and school achievement between poor and affluent areas. This project will draw schools, child serving agencies and community members into coalitions in disadvantaged areas to build, test and evaluate an integrated 'backbone support system' designed to foster healthy development of the whole child.
Smoking cessation program for smokers admitted to public hospitals. This project will implement and evaluate a multidisciplinary healthcare intervention initiated by hospital pharmacists and followed up by primary health professionals to assist smokers admitted to three Victorian tertiary public hospitals to give up smoking. This program could potentially reduce smoking-related death, illness and healthcare costs.