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.
School Exclusionary Policies and Practices and their Impact. This project aims to investigate how and why Australian schools use exclusionary practices to manage disorderly students. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of school discipline about the extent and impact of these practices. It will provide a detailed analysis of the political, legislative and policy frameworks that impact on exclusion rates. Expected outcomes of this project include alternative policy and prac ....School Exclusionary Policies and Practices and their Impact. This project aims to investigate how and why Australian schools use exclusionary practices to manage disorderly students. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of school discipline about the extent and impact of these practices. It will provide a detailed analysis of the political, legislative and policy frameworks that impact on exclusion rates. Expected outcomes of this project include alternative policy and practice recommendations for legislatures and education systems. This should provide significant benefits, such as reducing youth alienation from schooling; creating inclusive schools; reducing the financial burden of exclusion on individuals and governments; and improving the health and wellbeing of young people.Read moreRead less
Pathways or cul-de-sacs: the causes, impact and implications of part-time senior secondary study. The research will investigate the factors contributing to the relatively high proportion of SA students who undertake their senior secondary studies part-time, and explore the implications for the students and their communities in terms of educational and employment outcomes. It will also map the geographic, gender and socio-economic dimensions of this phenomenon and identify whether there is a rela ....Pathways or cul-de-sacs: the causes, impact and implications of part-time senior secondary study. The research will investigate the factors contributing to the relatively high proportion of SA students who undertake their senior secondary studies part-time, and explore the implications for the students and their communities in terms of educational and employment outcomes. It will also map the geographic, gender and socio-economic dimensions of this phenomenon and identify whether there is a relationship between part-time senior secondary study, early school leaving and re-entry pathways. The project will draw on recent state and national research, and educational policy analyses, together with qualitative and quantitative data analysis at the state and regional level, to enhance understandings of these issues and inform the development of educational and youth policy at the state and national levels.Read moreRead less
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
How schools foster refugee student resilience. This project aims to investigate the work of schools that successfully resettle and include refugee students by creating the social and educational conditions that enhance their resilience. The project expects to provide education sectors, schools, and refugee service providers with knowledge about how school-based policies and practices can foster refugee student resilience.
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
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
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
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
Reducing young women’s offending through improved service delivery . Young women’s contact with justice and welfare agencies has increased rapidly across Australia and the world, creating a crisis that is costly and harmful, especially for young Indigenous women. Pathways into these systems are gendered; but the systems were designed to address the needs of young male offenders. This project therefore aims to discover how these systems could be better designed to improve outcomes for young women ....Reducing young women’s offending through improved service delivery . Young women’s contact with justice and welfare agencies has increased rapidly across Australia and the world, creating a crisis that is costly and harmful, especially for young Indigenous women. Pathways into these systems are gendered; but the systems were designed to address the needs of young male offenders. This project therefore aims to discover how these systems could be better designed to improve outcomes for young women. The project uses a novel approach that gives young women a voice in how five Anglicare end-users (the research partners) and other end-users can enhance their service provision in the welfare and justice sectors and become models of best practice.Read moreRead less