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
The search for family: A history of adoption in Australia. How has Australia cared for its children? This study will fill a significant gap in the nation's self-understanding by explaining the historical factors driving the changing place, meaning and significance of adoption. Whilst participants and practitioners debate its social worth, the policy pendulum is swinging back to an acceptance of adoption. Australian society is in urgent need of an open hearing of the contesting voices, and a bala ....The search for family: A history of adoption in Australia. How has Australia cared for its children? This study will fill a significant gap in the nation's self-understanding by explaining the historical factors driving the changing place, meaning and significance of adoption. Whilst participants and practitioners debate its social worth, the policy pendulum is swinging back to an acceptance of adoption. Australian society is in urgent need of an open hearing of the contesting voices, and a balanced account of the historical impact of adoption. Our project promises both, thus 'understanding and strengthening (a) key element of Australia's social fabric' - the family.Read moreRead less
Researching an all-of-family program in family violence & substance misuse. Family violence services and drug and alcohol services have been inappropriately siloed given co-occurrence of these problems is common. This project aims to evaluate an innovative program which integrates these services, focuses on fathering to ensure recognition of the needs of children (50% of family violence victims) and provides all-of-family support to ensure the safety and well-being of women and children. Expect ....Researching an all-of-family program in family violence & substance misuse. Family violence services and drug and alcohol services have been inappropriately siloed given co-occurrence of these problems is common. This project aims to evaluate an innovative program which integrates these services, focuses on fathering to ensure recognition of the needs of children (50% of family violence victims) and provides all-of-family support to ensure the safety and well-being of women and children. Expected outcomes include better evidence for countering family violence, and policy frameworks for integrated service provision. Changing the behaviour of men who use violence is a significant social challenge and the outcomes of this targeted approach should have ramifications nationally and internationally. Read moreRead less
Reducing the harms associated with conscientious objection to abortion. This project aims to critically evaluate the regulation of conscientious objection to abortion. A range of state-based laws regulate this practice in Australia, and there is evidence that all result in inequitable access, harms to women and lack clarity for providers. The project will critically evaluate the legal and regulatory options for managing conscientious objection and interview conscientious objectors to develop a c ....Reducing the harms associated with conscientious objection to abortion. This project aims to critically evaluate the regulation of conscientious objection to abortion. A range of state-based laws regulate this practice in Australia, and there is evidence that all result in inequitable access, harms to women and lack clarity for providers. The project will critically evaluate the legal and regulatory options for managing conscientious objection and interview conscientious objectors to develop a conceptual model to explain their practices. A participatory process with experts will identify the optimal model for regulation and how to translate the model to practice. Expected outcomes are world first evidence on practice, progress towards effective regulation, and benefits will be reduced conflict and harms.Read moreRead less
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
Transforming charity to reduce persistent poverty. This project aims to produce empirical knowledge to assist charities to reduce persistent poverty in Australia. In Australia people in poverty use charity to subsidise limited incomes and survive on a day-to-day basis. Recently charities are expected to assist in disrupting poverty in addition to poverty relief. However there is limited knowledge about how charities work with people who are poor and how they can change to work better. This proje ....Transforming charity to reduce persistent poverty. This project aims to produce empirical knowledge to assist charities to reduce persistent poverty in Australia. In Australia people in poverty use charity to subsidise limited incomes and survive on a day-to-day basis. Recently charities are expected to assist in disrupting poverty in addition to poverty relief. However there is limited knowledge about how charities work with people who are poor and how they can change to work better. This project expects to provide knowledge that governments, social service providers, and charities can use to transform their work with people in poverty. Read moreRead less
Involving children in social research: balancing the risks and benefits. There is a growing consensus that children's involvement in social research is important, but considerable uncertainty remains around children's inclusion in research on 'sensitive' issues, reflecting concerns about how to balance children's protection with their participation. Key to this are deeply embedded assumptions and beliefs about children and childhood, especially concerning notions of capacity, agency, vulnerabili ....Involving children in social research: balancing the risks and benefits. There is a growing consensus that children's involvement in social research is important, but considerable uncertainty remains around children's inclusion in research on 'sensitive' issues, reflecting concerns about how to balance children's protection with their participation. Key to this are deeply embedded assumptions and beliefs about children and childhood, especially concerning notions of capacity, agency, vulnerability, dependency and the like. This project aims to better understand and address the tensions between the protection of children and their participation in research, and to explore how ethics committees, parents, other gatekeepers and children themselves manage and navigate these tensions.Read moreRead less
Natural Hazard Vulnerability: A study of risk, vulnerability, behaviour, attitudes and perceptions of warnings. This project builds on original research into community vulnerability, awareness and preparedness for natural hazards. During the second half of the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the trend in emergency management and disaster mitigation research has been towards the social and community impacts of natural disasters. The aim of the project is to exa ....Natural Hazard Vulnerability: A study of risk, vulnerability, behaviour, attitudes and perceptions of warnings. This project builds on original research into community vulnerability, awareness and preparedness for natural hazards. During the second half of the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the trend in emergency management and disaster mitigation research has been towards the social and community impacts of natural disasters. The aim of the project is to examine risk perception amongst hazard vulnerable communities. The expected outcomes include an improved awareness campaign and a better understanding of the ways in which warnings and forecasts are filtered and distorted by the public.Read moreRead less
Outcomes of specialist disability housing for people with disability. This project aims to systematically investigate the experience, outcomes and economic impact of people with disability moving into specialist disability accommodation housing. Health, wellbeing, community participation, support outcomes and lived experience of people with disability will be measured before moving and over 2 years after they move. The project provides the opportunity to identify the personal, disability, housi ....Outcomes of specialist disability housing for people with disability. This project aims to systematically investigate the experience, outcomes and economic impact of people with disability moving into specialist disability accommodation housing. Health, wellbeing, community participation, support outcomes and lived experience of people with disability will be measured before moving and over 2 years after they move. The project provides the opportunity to identify the personal, disability, housing and support factors that shape outcomes for people with disability. The intended outcome is comprehensive knowledge that can inform policy, build evidence across housing, technology, support and disability sectors and ultimately benefit people with disability by generating innovative practice in housing and support.Read moreRead less
Improving contact between children in out-of-home care and their birth parents: developing and trialling a contact intervention. There is little evidence on how to best manage contact between the 37,648 children in care nationally and their birth parents. The aim of this project is to develop and trial a new model of contact which will reduce distress, improve children's relationships with their birth parents and increase successful reunifications in the long term.