Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will ide ....Changing modes: A study of the knowledge economy of human service research in Australia. Significant national benefits will accrue through this study of the human services knowledge economy. The creation of human services employing knowledge-based interventions will address the real needs of Australians in the current socio-political environment. In investigating how current systems of knowledge production contribute to the creation of relevant and effective human services, the research will identify the restraints to innovation in human services and the structures in which knowledge production is articulated. In modelling an 'ideal-type' of knowledge transfer conducive to the development of socially accountable research, it will inform changes needed for effective human service delivery. 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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Creating pathways to child wellbeing in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to test, in nine disadvantaged communities, a model for action that blends new human and digital resources to support respectful, data-driven collaborations between schools, families and community agencies.
The project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of translational prevention science about how to influence risk and protective factors for child wellbeing in a cost-efficient manner and at a scale ....Creating pathways to child wellbeing in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to test, in nine disadvantaged communities, a model for action that blends new human and digital resources to support respectful, data-driven collaborations between schools, families and community agencies.
The project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of translational prevention science about how to influence risk and protective factors for child wellbeing in a cost-efficient manner and at a scale within existing service systems. Project benefits should include a methodology for achieving lasting improvements in child wellbeing, behaviour and school success.
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A Randomised Trial of Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting in a Disadvantaged Community. Home visiting programs comprising intensive and sustained professional home visits over the entire first two years of life (SPHV) show promise as interventions to promote child health and family functioning, and ameliorate disadvantage. This study is the first Australian randomised trial to determine the impact of a comprehensive SPHV program commencing antenatally in a population group living in an area ....A Randomised Trial of Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting in a Disadvantaged Community. Home visiting programs comprising intensive and sustained professional home visits over the entire first two years of life (SPHV) show promise as interventions to promote child health and family functioning, and ameliorate disadvantage. This study is the first Australian randomised trial to determine the impact of a comprehensive SPHV program commencing antenatally in a population group living in an area of known disadvantage. As such this trial is a best-practice demonstration model for professional home visiting in Australia, with significant implications for the development of early childhood policy and strategy throughout Australia.Read moreRead less
Forgotten Australians: identifying long term outcomes for people who lived in institutional and other forms of out-of-home care. In line with international recognition that children who lived in orphanages have suffered disenfranchisement and disadvantage in adulthood, this project will add to empirical knowledge of this population, track experiences associated with adverse and the more optimal life outcomes, and identify areas for intervention to promote their wellness.
Enabling engagement and inclusion: organisational factors that embed active support in accommodation services for people with intellectual disability. The study will investigate the processes and structures necessary to ensure frontline staff deliver high quality support to people with intellectual disability, which enables them to engage in meaningful activity. This knowledge will inform disability service organisation processes and provide indicators of structures necessary for effective servi ....Enabling engagement and inclusion: organisational factors that embed active support in accommodation services for people with intellectual disability. The study will investigate the processes and structures necessary to ensure frontline staff deliver high quality support to people with intellectual disability, which enables them to engage in meaningful activity. This knowledge will inform disability service organisation processes and provide indicators of structures necessary for effective services.Read moreRead less
Juvenile firelighters intervention program: Towards a best practice framework. Juvenile firelighting results in significant costs to life, property, and the environment. In Australia prevention programs are implemented by trained practitioners from fire services. This project examines the programs of urban, regional and rural fire authorities throughout Australia and focuses, using case study methodology, on the first Australian program, the JFAIP. JFAIP developments will be tracked over time an ....Juvenile firelighters intervention program: Towards a best practice framework. Juvenile firelighting results in significant costs to life, property, and the environment. In Australia prevention programs are implemented by trained practitioners from fire services. This project examines the programs of urban, regional and rural fire authorities throughout Australia and focuses, using case study methodology, on the first Australian program, the JFAIP. JFAIP developments will be tracked over time and place, with alternative theories for the program's impact and effectiveness tested. Validity will be assessed by triangulation of data from different sources. In this way, a framework of empirically-based best practice guidelines will be developed for future Australian programs and adaptations.Read moreRead less
Families on the Fringe: Promoting the Social Inclusion of Young Families who have Relocated to Non-Metropolitan Areas. We aim to promote the social inclusion of young families who relocate to non-metropolitan communities by developing policy and infrastructure options based on an understanding of their characteristics and needs. The project's significance lies in capturing these characteristics to provide models upon which policy initiatives can be developed and policy outcomes monitored. Th ....Families on the Fringe: Promoting the Social Inclusion of Young Families who have Relocated to Non-Metropolitan Areas. We aim to promote the social inclusion of young families who relocate to non-metropolitan communities by developing policy and infrastructure options based on an understanding of their characteristics and needs. The project's significance lies in capturing these characteristics to provide models upon which policy initiatives can be developed and policy outcomes monitored. The project combines the Office of Economic and Statistic Research's expertise in socio-demographic research and policy development, The Benevolent Society and Mission Australia's experience in community service delivery in geographically diverse communities, with the CI's research skills, towards strengthening the social and economic fabric of Australian communities Read moreRead less
Early childhood sustained home visiting: outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school. The Commonwealth has been committed to developing a national agenda for early childhood, with a strong focus on development and use of Australian-relevant evidence, an outcomes focus, a focus on vulnerable communities, families and children, and strengths-based approaches. This agenda is also reflected in the key research priority areas of the Commonwealth Government. The proposed study is a critical next ....Early childhood sustained home visiting: outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school. The Commonwealth has been committed to developing a national agenda for early childhood, with a strong focus on development and use of Australian-relevant evidence, an outcomes focus, a focus on vulnerable communities, families and children, and strengths-based approaches. This agenda is also reflected in the key research priority areas of the Commonwealth Government. The proposed study is a critical next step in the development of an Australian evidence base for professional home visiting: a key strategy for the delivery of services to promote the health and development of young Australians. The findings of this study will have significant implications for the development of early childhood policy and strategy throughout Australia.Read moreRead less