Enhancing mothers' engagement with the workforce in the preschool years. Increasing the workforce participation of mothers is a key national policy agenda. This project will produce unique data that provides insights into how leave arrangements, childcare, flexibility, job characteristics and individual circumstances interact to influence mothers' workforce engagement and how this varies for different groups of mothers.
The Young Learners' Project: Identifying personalised teaching strategies for early literacy in children in preschool and the first year of school. High quality learning experiences coupled with personalised, evidence-based adult support in the preschool years shape children's life-long attitudes and motivation for learning, and form the basis of strong outcomes in adulthood. Of particular importance is the development of literacy. Not all children, however, have such experiences and some need ....The Young Learners' Project: Identifying personalised teaching strategies for early literacy in children in preschool and the first year of school. High quality learning experiences coupled with personalised, evidence-based adult support in the preschool years shape children's life-long attitudes and motivation for learning, and form the basis of strong outcomes in adulthood. Of particular importance is the development of literacy. Not all children, however, have such experiences and some need extra support from their families and teachers. From this study knowledge will be gained that will assist teachers and parents to support children before beginning school so that they are prepared for formal literacy learning. This will lead to greater prospects of financial and social benefits in adulthood. Read moreRead less
Fluctuating demands and unexpected events: An action research approach to improving work-family interaction in project-based construction work. Construction workers, who comprise 8.5% of Australia's workforce, are a high risk group for work-family conflict (WFC), which is linked to negative outcomes for individuals, families and organizations. The construction industry is facing a skills shortage but remains unattractive to young workers and those with family/care responsibilities. The research ....Fluctuating demands and unexpected events: An action research approach to improving work-family interaction in project-based construction work. Construction workers, who comprise 8.5% of Australia's workforce, are a high risk group for work-family conflict (WFC), which is linked to negative outcomes for individuals, families and organizations. The construction industry is facing a skills shortage but remains unattractive to young workers and those with family/care responsibilities. The research will help the construction industry to re-think cultural expectations about work hours and design jobs that reduce WFC and promote work-family interaction. The research will help the industry improve its ability to attract and retain a diverse workforce and contribute to a reduction in the social and economic costs of WFC.Read moreRead less
Work, care, retirement and health: ageing agendas. This project will undertake a gendered analysis of how Australians can retire well, taking account of their key resources (such as work, superannuation, the aged pension, and other assets) and key demands (such as to work longer and to care for others in the context of an ageing population and a more feminised workforce).
Work, Love and Play: Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families. This research will provide information about the experiences of same-sex parented families in accessing health and community services in Australia and New Zealand. This will inform policy development aimed at improving access to services and reducing discrimination for same-sex attracted people and other minority groups. Additionally the research will increase knowledge about the impact of limited social or community su ....Work, Love and Play: Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families. This research will provide information about the experiences of same-sex parented families in accessing health and community services in Australia and New Zealand. This will inform policy development aimed at improving access to services and reducing discrimination for same-sex attracted people and other minority groups. Additionally the research will increase knowledge about the impact of limited social or community support on the health and wellbeing of families. Families are a key unit in society, and supporting strong and healthy families - in all their forms - is an important part of supporting the overall economic and social and physical wellbeing of society (National Research Priority 2: Promoting and Maintaining Good Health).Read moreRead less
Impact of parents' employment on children's well-being: The influence of employment quality, time and activities with children, and parenting practices. Most Australian children now grow-up in families where both their mother and their father are employed. Using a new national dataset, this research examines how parents' working conditions are related to children's well-being. It is proposed that parents' availability, resources, and family functioning mediate between parental employment and chi ....Impact of parents' employment on children's well-being: The influence of employment quality, time and activities with children, and parenting practices. Most Australian children now grow-up in families where both their mother and their father are employed. Using a new national dataset, this research examines how parents' working conditions are related to children's well-being. It is proposed that parents' availability, resources, and family functioning mediate between parental employment and child outcomes. The Growing-Up in Australia study (available in 2005) surveys 10,000 children, combining measures of child well-being, existing validated measures of work conditions and family functioning, with a new child-focused diary that measures time and activities undertaken with children. New knowledge generated will inform future policy development.Read moreRead less
Social disadvantage and economic recession: promoting inclusion and combating deprivation. The onset of recession in the wake of the global financial crisis has reawakened concern over inequality and exclusion. This project will feed directly into the government's new social inclusion agenda by providing a better understanding of the nature of social exclusion, its relation to location-specific and other dimensions of disadvantage, and the processes that trigger and sustain exclusion. A speciall ....Social disadvantage and economic recession: promoting inclusion and combating deprivation. The onset of recession in the wake of the global financial crisis has reawakened concern over inequality and exclusion. This project will feed directly into the government's new social inclusion agenda by providing a better understanding of the nature of social exclusion, its relation to location-specific and other dimensions of disadvantage, and the processes that trigger and sustain exclusion. A specially designed survey will be coordinated with other data collection activity to provide timely new information that will assist government and non-government agencies to promote social inclusion and tackle the root causes of disadvantage.Read moreRead less
Supporting families: Horizontal and vertical equity in the Australian tax-benefit system in historical and comparative perspectives. Tax benefit reform and equity between different groups are key policy concerns currently and for the foreseeable future. The tax-benefit system is under review, and the Global Financial Crisis has prompted debate on how tax-benefit policy can stimulate the economy while maintaining equity and promoting social inclusion. This project will put debate about tax-benef ....Supporting families: Horizontal and vertical equity in the Australian tax-benefit system in historical and comparative perspectives. Tax benefit reform and equity between different groups are key policy concerns currently and for the foreseeable future. The tax-benefit system is under review, and the Global Financial Crisis has prompted debate on how tax-benefit policy can stimulate the economy while maintaining equity and promoting social inclusion. This project will put debate about tax-benefit reforms and deficit reduction strategies in historical and an international comparative context. Results generated will provide a rich and comprehensive framework for assessing current and future policy options in areas that are closely aligned with the designated national research priority goals of a healthy start to life and strengthening Australia's economic and social fabric.Read moreRead less
Families and generational asset transfers: making and challenging wills in contemporary Australia. This project, in collaboration with Public Trust offices across Australia, will provide a national database on which sectors of the population fail to make wills and why. The results will inform innovative service models, law reform initiatives and public education campaigns.
A new healthy living minimum income standard for low-paid and unemployed Australians. This project will generate family budgets to support healthy living among low-wage workers, the unemployed and their families. The project will build on past Australian and recent international research and embody current experience to make it relevant to real needs.