Increasing innovation and flexibility in social service delivery. This project will use a comparative methodology to investigate how contracted social services require careful regulation to ensure service effectiveness and improved organisational capacity. The outcome will include a practice model for understanding the relationship between regulation, contract structure and forms of service delivery innovation.
Trade policy: maximising benefits for nutrition, food security, human health, and the economy. Depending on how it is done, trade can be good or bad for peoples' health and social well-being. This study will provide evidence to support the development of trade policy which combines economic as well as social and health goals. This will help improve global food security and human health, reduce poverty and support good international relations.
Learned Academies Special Projects - Grant ID: LA170100011
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,000.00
Summary
The use of big data for social policy: benefits and risks. This project aims to investigate the benefits and risks of using ‘big data’ and analytics for social policy. Drawing on documentary sources and interviews with experts and stakeholders, the project will use five case studies to examine the capability, underlying assumptions and possible impacts of such techniques. The project will bring together a multi-disciplinary team of social and data scientists to identify the infrastructural, tech ....The use of big data for social policy: benefits and risks. This project aims to investigate the benefits and risks of using ‘big data’ and analytics for social policy. Drawing on documentary sources and interviews with experts and stakeholders, the project will use five case studies to examine the capability, underlying assumptions and possible impacts of such techniques. The project will bring together a multi-disciplinary team of social and data scientists to identify the infrastructural, technical, and social, ethical and legal issues that need to be addressed. The project will define key issues for future research, promote collaboration between the social sciences and big data disciplines, while creating opportunities for building capability for researchers in the social sciences. Read moreRead less
Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national p ....Young people with cognitive disability: relationships and paid support. This project aims to improve the rights and wellbeing of young people with cognitive disability by exploring their relationship and interaction with paid support workers. The introduction of national individualised funding and support is a watershed in Australian disability policy. Understanding the role that paid support plays in the ongoing identity development of these young people is urgently needed to realise national policy aspirations for people with disability of rights, choice, inclusion and independence. Using social geography and recognition theory, the project expects to deliver new understanding and improved practice around how paid support relationships can foster mutual care, respect and value at a critically important time in young people’s lives.Read moreRead less
Designing illicit drug policy solutions: the role of participation. This project aims to study whether the design of illicit drug policies can be enhanced with participation. As a complex social problem, the development of new policy design solutions requires participatory processes which engage multiple stakeholders and make explicit the underlying values and goals. The project aims to study the effects of participatory policy design and generate new innovative technologies of participation. Th ....Designing illicit drug policy solutions: the role of participation. This project aims to study whether the design of illicit drug policies can be enhanced with participation. As a complex social problem, the development of new policy design solutions requires participatory processes which engage multiple stakeholders and make explicit the underlying values and goals. The project aims to study the effects of participatory policy design and generate new innovative technologies of participation. The expected outcomes are new knowledge and practices for policy design, including policy design solutions for three current policy dilemmas for Australian governments. The benefits of more effective and participatory illicit drug policies include the economic, social and health gains accrued when policy works.Read moreRead less
The science-policy interface in policy theories: a comparative case study of street-level policing for illicit drugs. This project will analyse two prominent policy process theories by their application to illicit drugs policing case studies, this having never previously been done. The project aims to assess the scientific merit of the two competing policy process theories; examine their applicability to policing; and study the ways in which each theory can account for the interface between scie ....The science-policy interface in policy theories: a comparative case study of street-level policing for illicit drugs. This project will analyse two prominent policy process theories by their application to illicit drugs policing case studies, this having never previously been done. The project aims to assess the scientific merit of the two competing policy process theories; examine their applicability to policing; and study the ways in which each theory can account for the interface between science and policy. The project will create new knowledge in relation to the scientific merit of the theories, and the role of science in police policy formation. This new knowledge will assist those working at the interface between science and policy to enhance policy analysis and policy influence in this strongly contested domain.Read moreRead less
Working longer, staying healthy and keeping productive. Working longer, staying healthy and keeping productive. This project aims to develop a policy suite to respond to an older workforce. By 2060, nearly half of Australians aged 64 or older will be employed. Failure to address their health problems could threaten Australia’s economy, tax base and provision of health and care services. This collaboration between national policy portfolios (employment, social services, workplace health and socia ....Working longer, staying healthy and keeping productive. Working longer, staying healthy and keeping productive. This project aims to develop a policy suite to respond to an older workforce. By 2060, nearly half of Australians aged 64 or older will be employed. Failure to address their health problems could threaten Australia’s economy, tax base and provision of health and care services. This collaboration between national policy portfolios (employment, social services, workplace health and social equity) and expert scientists in work, health, social equality and policy process intends to reveal the diversity of older workers’ work-health dilemmas and effective ways for national policies to solve them. The policy suite will promote financial independence and meet social goals of equity and healthy ageing.Read moreRead less
Welfare receipt, demoralisation and mental health: how can welfare reform promote personal wellbeing and social inclusion? Welfare recipients are more likely to experience mental disorders and have poor wellbeing than non-recipients, and this can be a barrier to employment. This project examines the factors that may improve their mental health, promote employment outcomes, and help the Commonwealth Government develop effective welfare reform policies.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100543
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$308,260.00
Summary
Paid work in cash-for-care: Australia in comparative perspective. The project seeks to build an evidence base to address the public policy problem of how to develop a sustainable workforce in the publicly-funded disability sector based on quality jobs for care workers and flexible high-quality care. Under new social care arrangements, money for care is allocated directly to vulnerable people to purchase their own services. Cash-for-care changes the organisation of paid care work in ways that pos ....Paid work in cash-for-care: Australia in comparative perspective. The project seeks to build an evidence base to address the public policy problem of how to develop a sustainable workforce in the publicly-funded disability sector based on quality jobs for care workers and flexible high-quality care. Under new social care arrangements, money for care is allocated directly to vulnerable people to purchase their own services. Cash-for-care changes the organisation of paid care work in ways that pose significant risks for workers and for the development of sustainable social care workforces. This project intends to examine outcomes for care workers under cash-for-care and to identify regulatory strategies for creating quality work for paid care workers in flexible, high-quality care systems.Read moreRead less
From entitlement to experiment: The new governance of welfare to work. This project aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and other groups in need. In this dynamic environment, welfare agencies are struggling to deliver benefits to the most disadvantaged people. Services must balance the need to meet central performance re ....From entitlement to experiment: The new governance of welfare to work. This project aims to model and explain the governance dynamics of welfare to work in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Australia regularly undertakes major governance reforms in providing welfare to the unemployed and other groups in need. In this dynamic environment, welfare agencies are struggling to deliver benefits to the most disadvantaged people. Services must balance the need to meet central performance requirements against the desire to help clients. The project aims to create a new framework for understanding how policy instruments and design experiments can improve services for those who are in need.Read moreRead less