Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting ....Increasing organisational capacity of community residential units to facilitate ageing in place for people with intellectual disability. Unique challenges face the disability, aged care and health sectors because of the increased life expectancy of people with life-long intellectual disability (ID) and the likelihood of their premature ageing. Although this group is recognised by Federal and State governments as requiring specific and special service arrangements, little is known about adapting disability and aged care services to their needs. This research will inform the development of policy and programs in the disability, aged care, and health sectors. The research aims to improve the capacity of disability group homes to respond to the health and ageing issues of older people with ID,to improve their quality of life.Read moreRead less
A Great and Crying Need: A History of Kew Residential Services, 1887-2007, through Innovative Textual, Oral, Aural and Experiential Media. This original history of Kew Residential Services (KRS), formerly known as Kew Cottages, will trace the lives of its residents from 1887, analysing the changing discourses, policies and practices for people with intellectual disability. It will analyse the history of Kew Residential Services in terms of a modern society's shifting response to difference. Th ....A Great and Crying Need: A History of Kew Residential Services, 1887-2007, through Innovative Textual, Oral, Aural and Experiential Media. This original history of Kew Residential Services (KRS), formerly known as Kew Cottages, will trace the lives of its residents from 1887, analysing the changing discourses, policies and practices for people with intellectual disability. It will analyse the history of Kew Residential Services in terms of a modern society's shifting response to difference. The Project is internationally innovative, researching with and for people with intellectual disability and giving voice to their experiences. It will produce an academic monograph and scholarly articles, a unique non-verbal representation of residents' experiences, an oral history, radio documentary and photographic research.Read moreRead less
Universal access playgrounds: Can purpose-built playgrounds for children with disabilities provide opportunities for play that enhance cognitive and social development? This study will investigate social, cultural and physical barriers to playground access and participation by children with different types of disabilities. The outcomes of this project will be a model for best-practice playground design based on research in the areas of disability, learning and development; children's social, c ....Universal access playgrounds: Can purpose-built playgrounds for children with disabilities provide opportunities for play that enhance cognitive and social development? This study will investigate social, cultural and physical barriers to playground access and participation by children with different types of disabilities. The outcomes of this project will be a model for best-practice playground design based on research in the areas of disability, learning and development; children's social, cultural, physical and sensory needs; and biomechanics and engineering. The research will be continued through an evaluation of the social and cognitive benefits for children with disabilities using a purpose-built playground constructed on the basis of these best-practice principles.Read moreRead less
(Dis)abling Reports: Mapping uptake, progress and outcomes of police reports of sexual assault made by those with cognitive impairment. This project examines reporting outcomes of police reports of sexual assault by people with a cognitive impairment. This group are more vulnerable to sexual offences yet less likely to have the report progress completely through the investigative pathways of the police. There exist no studies identifying the decision making police use when determining the progr ....(Dis)abling Reports: Mapping uptake, progress and outcomes of police reports of sexual assault made by those with cognitive impairment. This project examines reporting outcomes of police reports of sexual assault by people with a cognitive impairment. This group are more vulnerable to sexual offences yet less likely to have the report progress completely through the investigative pathways of the police. There exist no studies identifying the decision making police use when determining the progress of reports. Decisions as to whether a report proceeds or exits the justice system are documented and contained in a restricted police data system. Analysing this data will generate a framework around the decision making applied and map the progress and exit stages of these reports.Read moreRead less
Realising an 'ordinary life' for people with intellectual disabilities: Developing a theoretical framework for group home outcomes. Explaining why group homes produce variable outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities will make it more likely they live healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Such outcomes are central to policies of inclusion and fundamental to human rights. The Australian community will be enriched by the inclusion of all people with disabilities and become a more jus ....Realising an 'ordinary life' for people with intellectual disabilities: Developing a theoretical framework for group home outcomes. Explaining why group homes produce variable outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities will make it more likely they live healthy, productive and fulfilling lives. Such outcomes are central to policies of inclusion and fundamental to human rights. The Australian community will be enriched by the inclusion of all people with disabilities and become a more just society. The research will support the translation of social policy into practice and adoption of good management practices. It will enable more effective use of the $2 billion spent on disability accommodation, and will bolster the arguments for community rather than institutional living, demonstrating investment in community services is a sound use of public moneyRead moreRead less
Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one ....Comparison of interventions for families from rural communities who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. The project comprises two studies. The first aims at evaluating the relative effectiveness of two modes of supporting families from rural areas who have a child with an intellectual disability and problem behaviour. Both modes involve providing the families with written and videotape materials containing advice about how to manage the problem behaviour, but one mode also includes the addition of regular telephone calls. The second study focuses on examining the child, parent, practitioner, and contextual variables associated with families being able to benefit from support through the use of the written and videotape materials.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
Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability ....Developing a data-based system for competitor analysis, performance monitoring, and decision-making within the disability employment service industry. There are three aims: to implement a database that would assist business decision-making and improvement of professional practices; to provide the peak body means for reporting to members, representing members to the funding body, and promoting the industry; to develop a system relevant to micro and small businesses across industries. Disability employment services currently do not have means for competitor analysis even though it is recognised as integral to business planning. We expect that organisations will use the system, making more informed decisions, improving their performance, and improving their influence in discussions with the funding body.Read moreRead less
Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting resear ....Developing an Integrative Active Ageing Model for Policy Makers and Service Providers to Support Older People with Lifelong Intellectual Disability. 'Active ageing' is increasingly gaining international currency and it underpins Australia's national focus on healthy ageing. However, its meaning for older people with intellectual disability, who represent about 0.13% of Australia's older population, is unclear, as little is known about the impact of ageing upon this group. This exciting research project aims to address these knowledge gaps through a series of case studies comprising key stakeholder groups in rural and urban Victoria and Queensland. An Integrative Model of Active Ageing for policy makers and service providers will be developed to facilitate the planning and appropriate distribution of resources for this population. Read moreRead less
Intellectual disability, victimisation, challenging behaviour and offending. The expected national benefits that will arise from this research will include significant advances to policy and practice in the field, which will impact on service users and service providers at both individual and community levels. At the same time, this unique collaboration will foster research excellence, further develop interagency collaborations and thus advance Australia's research and clinical leadership in the ....Intellectual disability, victimisation, challenging behaviour and offending. The expected national benefits that will arise from this research will include significant advances to policy and practice in the field, which will impact on service users and service providers at both individual and community levels. At the same time, this unique collaboration will foster research excellence, further develop interagency collaborations and thus advance Australia's research and clinical leadership in the field of intellectual disability and community safety. Taken altogether, this research has a strong potential to lead to further collaborations focussing on research priorities of national and international significance. Read moreRead less