The Evaluation of Stuctures and Processes for Effective Client, Carer and Community Outcomes: A Model for Rural Mental Health Services. The South West Healthcare Area Mental Health Service ( Warnambool) has demonstrated according to key performance indicators, an effective system of service delivery. This evaluative research project seeks to identify key components within the organisational structures and processes of a rural mental health service that contribute to these effective outcomes fo ....The Evaluation of Stuctures and Processes for Effective Client, Carer and Community Outcomes: A Model for Rural Mental Health Services. The South West Healthcare Area Mental Health Service ( Warnambool) has demonstrated according to key performance indicators, an effective system of service delivery. This evaluative research project seeks to identify key components within the organisational structures and processes of a rural mental health service that contribute to these effective outcomes for clients. The research process will test these key components against other rural and urban mental health services in Victoria and will result in the development of a model for rural mental health service delivery of both local and national significance.Read moreRead less
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
COMMUNITY BASED COALITIONS FOR HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING: DEVELOPMENT OF A BEST PRACTICE MODEL. In recent years, governmental and non-governmental organisations have developed coalitions of professionals and community groups to advance health, safety and wellbeing. These coalitions in the fields of prevention, public health, community psychology and community development have to be evaluated and refined in order to maximize their potential. As a result, our project has two main aims: (1) To d ....COMMUNITY BASED COALITIONS FOR HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING: DEVELOPMENT OF A BEST PRACTICE MODEL. In recent years, governmental and non-governmental organisations have developed coalitions of professionals and community groups to advance health, safety and wellbeing. These coalitions in the fields of prevention, public health, community psychology and community development have to be evaluated and refined in order to maximize their potential. As a result, our project has two main aims: (1) To develop a framework for the evaluation of community-based coalitions for health, safety, and wellbeing, and (2) To develop a best-practice model for the effective creation and functioning of community-based coalitions for health, safety, and wellbeing.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
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
The impact of incarceration on children's care: a strategic framework for good care planning. This project will study best practice for care planning of children whose primary carers are incarcerated within the Australian criminal justice system. It will develop a strategic framework for future policy and practice in Australian care planning with the aim of improving outcomes for both parents and children.
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.
Towards an effective practice model for youth detention. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an innovative government program, which seeks to enhance the safety and rehabilitative culture of juvenile detention centres by increasing staff interpersonal skills through specialist training, coaching and supervision. The project is expected to identify best practice principles, allowing government departments to focus efforts on training and staff support to provide a higher quality wor ....Towards an effective practice model for youth detention. This project aims to examine the effectiveness of an innovative government program, which seeks to enhance the safety and rehabilitative culture of juvenile detention centres by increasing staff interpersonal skills through specialist training, coaching and supervision. The project is expected to identify best practice principles, allowing government departments to focus efforts on training and staff support to provide a higher quality work force. An evidence based framework will be developed in consultation with juvenile justice agencies across Australia. This will potentially improve outcomes for young people in custody and the wider community.Read moreRead less
From colonisation to conciliation: A collaborative examination of social work practice with Indigenous populations. The social work profession, along with many other human service professions, has a complex history of working with Indigenous populations. One of the significant factors in the maintenance of this problematic relationship is the marginalisation of Indigenous issues within mainstream social work practice. This project, in collaborating with Indigenous communities, social work practi ....From colonisation to conciliation: A collaborative examination of social work practice with Indigenous populations. The social work profession, along with many other human service professions, has a complex history of working with Indigenous populations. One of the significant factors in the maintenance of this problematic relationship is the marginalisation of Indigenous issues within mainstream social work practice. This project, in collaborating with Indigenous communities, social work practitioners and academics in Australia and the United States, will examine current practice needs and their interrelationship with current social work pedagogy. This analysis will identify the ways in which social work practice can enhance, rather than inhibit, Indigenous well-being, and how social work education can be reframed so as to engender such practice.Read moreRead less