Improving wellbeing through student participation at school. Current evidence suggests child and youth participation in matters affecting their lives has many benefits, but little is known about how this is perceived and practiced in education. This research aims to improve knowledge about processes and outcomes of student participation at school, particularly in relation to improving wellbeing. The project is timely and significant because recent reforms in education now require a greater empha ....Improving wellbeing through student participation at school. Current evidence suggests child and youth participation in matters affecting their lives has many benefits, but little is known about how this is perceived and practiced in education. This research aims to improve knowledge about processes and outcomes of student participation at school, particularly in relation to improving wellbeing. The project is timely and significant because recent reforms in education now require a greater emphasis on engaging students more directly in decisions about their education, including those with special needs. Schools urgently require knowledge about the key elements of participation that impact on wellbeing and a tool for measuring and monitoring their performance in facilitating these elements.Read moreRead less
Working Longer: Policy Reforms And Practice Innovations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,162,805.00
Summary
A popular response to increased longevity is to suggest that older workers should work longer. But working longer involves changes to established policies, practices, and institutions, which are currently built around retiring earlier. The project will forecast demographic and health transition in Australia and develop capacity to analyze the likely economic and workplace adjustments that population ageing will generate. It will examine the extent to which ñworking longerî is an appropriate resp ....A popular response to increased longevity is to suggest that older workers should work longer. But working longer involves changes to established policies, practices, and institutions, which are currently built around retiring earlier. The project will forecast demographic and health transition in Australia and develop capacity to analyze the likely economic and workplace adjustments that population ageing will generate. It will examine the extent to which ñworking longerî is an appropriate response to this transition, and analyze how the labour market for older workers might evolve, taking account of individual circumstances (health, financial status, dependant care) and institutional practices (age discrimination, employment conditions, work organization), as well as regulatory and policy impacts. The overall objective of the program is to develop a multi-disciplinary knowledge base to inform integrated policy and institutional (or practice) improvement in the labour market for the elderly. Its contribution will be to improve the institutional and policy framework within which households and firms operate, with the aim of modifying workplace practices and policy and institutional constraints to encourage a more vibrant labour market for older workers. Specifically the program of research will: Assess the demographic and economic impacts of working longer under alternative policy and institutional (practice) scenarios; Provide alternative pension, superannuation, finance and taxation designs to encourage labour force participation of older people; Identify employment strategies to enhance the health and safety of older workers; Develop strategies to facilitate workforce re-entry of older workers, including gender-specific considerations; and Provide an integrated set of recommendations to create policy and practice partnerships which facilitate a labour market conducive to increased mature-age participation.Read moreRead less
Children, Community and Social Capital in Australia. Contributing to our understanding of children's roles and contributions to their communities in Australia, this research will strengthen the basis for policies and interventions relating to social inclusion, community strengthening, children's well-being and family policy. Currently, there is a strong policy focus on children's issues in Australia, but children's own experiences and perspectives are often missing from policy deliberations. T ....Children, Community and Social Capital in Australia. Contributing to our understanding of children's roles and contributions to their communities in Australia, this research will strengthen the basis for policies and interventions relating to social inclusion, community strengthening, children's well-being and family policy. Currently, there is a strong policy focus on children's issues in Australia, but children's own experiences and perspectives are often missing from policy deliberations. This research will provide the foundation for policy and interventions that are inclusive of children and value children as community members and citizens. Read moreRead less
Indigenous participation in a low-carbon economy. Australia’s transition towards a low-carbon economy will cause changes in skill requirements and raises the need to maximise Aboriginal participation. This innovative project will provide a better understanding of what is required for this to occur and showcase a new way of developing educational and training strategies for Indigenous engagement.
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
The Extent and Cost of Kinship Foster Care of Orphans in Rural China. This project will explore the extent of kinship foster care provided to orphaned children in rural China. It will also, for the first time, estimate the costs of kinship care, by modifying Australian budget standards research to suit conditions in rural China. The project will combine a strong research team with a leading international non-government agency working in China and will draw on support from government officials fr ....The Extent and Cost of Kinship Foster Care of Orphans in Rural China. This project will explore the extent of kinship foster care provided to orphaned children in rural China. It will also, for the first time, estimate the costs of kinship care, by modifying Australian budget standards research to suit conditions in rural China. The project will combine a strong research team with a leading international non-government agency working in China and will draw on support from government officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The results will be used to estimate child poverty among the target group and will provide a knowledge base for future research in the area.Read moreRead less
The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget st ....The Costs of Foster Care in Australia. The aim of the study is to determine adequate and appropriate levels of reimbursement for carers by undertaking empirical research on the economic and social costs associated with fostering. For the first time in Australia the indirect costs to carers will be examined and a model developed for reimbursing foster carers similar to other paid carers in the community. In collaboration with the Industry Partner it will explore the feasibility of using budget standards methodology to estimate the direct costs of care of children by refining and adapting budgets to reflect costs specific to different types of foster care.Read moreRead less
Transition to adulthood of young people with disabilities from state care in China. The project has implications for the national priority of safeguarding Australia through supporting the government strategy of engaging in our region. Disability is an AusAid priority in the Asia Pacific. The project demonstrates Australia's commitment to using our research and policy to improve social inclusion in China and to generalise to other developing countries. It contributes to developing Australian soci ....Transition to adulthood of young people with disabilities from state care in China. The project has implications for the national priority of safeguarding Australia through supporting the government strategy of engaging in our region. Disability is an AusAid priority in the Asia Pacific. The project demonstrates Australia's commitment to using our research and policy to improve social inclusion in China and to generalise to other developing countries. It contributes to developing Australian social policy, research and training in a way that is relevant to child and disability state care practices in Australia and China. The project facilitates future connections between researchers and policy officials in Australia and China, the Chinese Social Welfare Centre and the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs.Read moreRead less
Improving approaches to wellbeing in schools: what role does recognition play? Schools play a critical role in supporting children’s social and emotional wellbeing, although the concept is not well understood. This project will explore teacher, student and policy views on wellbeing and identify new approaches that will improve outcomes for children and young people.
Young Carers: Social policy impacts of the caring responsibilities of children and young adults. This project is a unique collaboration between university researchers, eight government agencies in NSW and South Australia and two Carers Associations, using innovative methods to inform policy development. The project will focus on the costs to young carers (their education, training, employment, social activities, health and wellbeing); benefits of the care relationship to families and to governm ....Young Carers: Social policy impacts of the caring responsibilities of children and young adults. This project is a unique collaboration between university researchers, eight government agencies in NSW and South Australia and two Carers Associations, using innovative methods to inform policy development. The project will focus on the costs to young carers (their education, training, employment, social activities, health and wellbeing); benefits of the care relationship to families and to government through savings on formal services; and the social policy frameworks. It will provide a comprehensive audit of policies and services for young carers and care recipients, and identify gaps for future policy development.Read moreRead less