Suicide prevention and management of deliberate self-harm: randomised control trial of an assertive engagement, brief psychotherapy and community linkage model. Suicide is the second commonest cause of death by injury in Australia. Suicide prevention is an important public health priority but rates remain high. People who have previously attempted suicide are most likely to kill themselves. Most suicidal people attend emergency departments where they get inadequate treatment for their psychologi ....Suicide prevention and management of deliberate self-harm: randomised control trial of an assertive engagement, brief psychotherapy and community linkage model. Suicide is the second commonest cause of death by injury in Australia. Suicide prevention is an important public health priority but rates remain high. People who have previously attempted suicide are most likely to kill themselves. Most suicidal people attend emergency departments where they get inadequate treatment for their psychological and social problems and remain depressed and suicidal. This project will test the effectiveness of a new psychological and social treatment to reduce the depression and link suicidal people with community supports. If successful, this treatment could be provided in any emergency department and help decrease suicide rates in Australia.Read moreRead less
Developing child-centred family and community practice: Listening to boys aged 9-12 with behaviour problems about their social contexts and needs. Children's and family services seek to reduce risks to children and ensure their well-being through holistic, strengths-based, collaborative family and community practice. Yet services remain adult-centric; children are often seen as recipients rather than informants, as targets rather than shapers of change. This study with Anglicare Victoria will ex ....Developing child-centred family and community practice: Listening to boys aged 9-12 with behaviour problems about their social contexts and needs. Children's and family services seek to reduce risks to children and ensure their well-being through holistic, strengths-based, collaborative family and community practice. Yet services remain adult-centric; children are often seen as recipients rather than informants, as targets rather than shapers of change. This study with Anglicare Victoria will examine the contexts, content and effects of professional responses to boys aged 9-12 years with challenging, aggressive behaviour, chiefly through the voices of the boys themselves. Adapting participatory enquiry methods for an unusually young and troubled population, the study aims to better understand their experiences and also to demonstrate opportunities and methods for enhancing children's participation.Read moreRead less
Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, i ....Negotiating Transitions to Retirement. This project will track diverse pathways in work/retirement transitions, by analysing how the present policy mix accommodates shifts in labour markets, demographic shifts and shifts in households and income distributions. Focused on cohorts aged 45 to 64, it firstly analyses national data sets to track the impact of the current policy mix in terms of income security, industrial relations, housing, health, education and training and work/life. Secondly, it draws on qualitative data to further examine how these transitions are played out. The research will develop a new policy matrix for older workers that addresses risk, social exclusion and social protection.Read moreRead less
Cumulative Harm: Reducing child abuse through improved decision-making. In 2005/06 56,000 cases of child abuse were substantiated in Australia, and this figure is rising exponentially. Disillusionment is growing with an incident based approach to children's safety which fails to either acknowledge or intervene effectively in the cumulative effects of harm to the child's development and well-being. This project uses the leverage of new legislation to re-focus on an earlier intervention with vulne ....Cumulative Harm: Reducing child abuse through improved decision-making. In 2005/06 56,000 cases of child abuse were substantiated in Australia, and this figure is rising exponentially. Disillusionment is growing with an incident based approach to children's safety which fails to either acknowledge or intervene effectively in the cumulative effects of harm to the child's development and well-being. This project uses the leverage of new legislation to re-focus on an earlier intervention with vulnerable children at risk of cumulative harm within a hospital setting. An interdisciplinary lens is bought to the development of new knowledge to provide a better and healthier start to life for this group of children.Read moreRead less
Too close for comfort? Adoption and management of professional and personal roles in rural welfare practice. Stressors such as maintaining role boundaries, dual and multiple relationships, professional practice, personal and family safety exist for rural welfare professionals who live and work in the same communities. Rural social welfare practice presents dilemmas due to potential conflicts between personal and work roles. The study examines individual attributes for coping and resilience, and ....Too close for comfort? Adoption and management of professional and personal roles in rural welfare practice. Stressors such as maintaining role boundaries, dual and multiple relationships, professional practice, personal and family safety exist for rural welfare professionals who live and work in the same communities. Rural social welfare practice presents dilemmas due to potential conflicts between personal and work roles. The study examines individual attributes for coping and resilience, and contextual issues. Implications for employing agencies, and educational and training institutions regarding recruiting, retention and training welfare professionals, as well as management of occupational health and safety concerns will be highlighted. The study will provide recommendations for employing agencies, professional associations, and educational institutions.Read moreRead less