Beyond safety: Ethical practice involving children. This project aims to investigate the role of ethical practice in improving child safety. Focusing especially on those who are at greater risk of harm, the findings will contribute to ensuring Australia’s children are safe and treated with dignity and respect. Expected outcomes include better-targeted, child-informed policy and practice for organisations involved with children, and important knowledge for organisations seeking to optimise, promo ....Beyond safety: Ethical practice involving children. This project aims to investigate the role of ethical practice in improving child safety. Focusing especially on those who are at greater risk of harm, the findings will contribute to ensuring Australia’s children are safe and treated with dignity and respect. Expected outcomes include better-targeted, child-informed policy and practice for organisations involved with children, and important knowledge for organisations seeking to optimise, promote and protect children’s safety and wellbeingRead moreRead less
Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new ....Social exclusion in adolescence: risks, assets, experiences and policy action. This project aims to investigate social exclusion among young people aged 8 to 17 including the risks of exclusion they face, the assets mobilised to support their inclusion and their life experiences in the context of these risks and assets. The project intends to investigate which risks, assets and experiences are most closely related to outcomes, and how these vary by age and gender. Expected outcomes include a new understanding of the relationship between social exclusion and outcomes in adolescence as well as entry points for policy intervention. Addressing social exclusion in adolescence will lead to improved outcomes in health, education and productivity, and a more socially-cohesive society.Read moreRead less
The Kids in Communities Study: national investigation of community level effects on children's developmental outcomes. This project (a cross-disciplinary collaboration) will investigate community level factors influencing early childhood developmental outcomes using a mixed methods approach in up to 10 communities across Australia. This will result in a potential set of measures or indicators that reflect communities that are good for children.
Protecting Sexually Abused Children in China. Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide public health problem. The aim of this project is to better understand how the Chinese state and civil society act to prevent, respond and provide support to the victims of CSA. Findings aim to underpin the development of a more effective system. Organisations in China and Australia aim to cooperate in order to: identify policy, practices and procedures that currently protect and support victims of CSA; develop ....Protecting Sexually Abused Children in China. Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide public health problem. The aim of this project is to better understand how the Chinese state and civil society act to prevent, respond and provide support to the victims of CSA. Findings aim to underpin the development of a more effective system. Organisations in China and Australia aim to cooperate in order to: identify policy, practices and procedures that currently protect and support victims of CSA; develop comprehensive social, economic and legal strategies to improve the effectiveness of services directed at preventing and responding to CSA; further understanding of the issues in supporting Chinese CSA victims in Australia; and better understand policy transfer from Australia to China.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
Strengthening Relationships for Young People in Residential Care. Young people in residential care face major challenges in forming positive relationships, many having experienced adults as a source of threat rather than safety. This project aims to investigate practices within therapeutic residential care that enable or limit young people’s identity formation, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing. This research will generate nuanced knowledge informing interpersonal and institution ....Strengthening Relationships for Young People in Residential Care. Young people in residential care face major challenges in forming positive relationships, many having experienced adults as a source of threat rather than safety. This project aims to investigate practices within therapeutic residential care that enable or limit young people’s identity formation, positive social connections, safety and wellbeing. This research will generate nuanced knowledge informing interpersonal and institutional change. Expected outcomes include improved approaches to therapeutic care and to methods for enabling the participation of young people in care in matters that may change their life trajectory on exiting care. Expected benefits include more responsive policies and frameworks for practice.Read moreRead less
Post-implementation economic evaluation of childhood vaccination programs. This project will develop a novel framework for assessing the value for money achieved by childhood vaccination programs. This will provide decision makers with methodologically sound economic assessments that incorporate real world program outcomes.
Economic impact and policy implications of assisted reproductive technologies in Australia. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is now a large scale economic activity in Australia, provided almost exclusively by private clinics. The outcome of ART programs, involving the birth of one in 30 children, has a profound effect on the health of the nation. Policy and funding frameworks influence how ART is practiced and the subsequent health outcomes of ART children, yet there is a lack of evidence ....Economic impact and policy implications of assisted reproductive technologies in Australia. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is now a large scale economic activity in Australia, provided almost exclusively by private clinics. The outcome of ART programs, involving the birth of one in 30 children, has a profound effect on the health of the nation. Policy and funding frameworks influence how ART is practiced and the subsequent health outcomes of ART children, yet there is a lack of evidence to guide government and providers about effective, equitable and safe approaches to funding ART. This research will address that need, thereby fostering a healthy start to life and preventative healthcare; supporting the National Research Priority, promoting and maintaining good health, for ART children, their families and the community.Read moreRead less
Selling The Punt: An interdisciplinary analysis of the extent and impact of sports wagering marketing strategies in Australia. Sports wagering is the fastest growing segment of the gambling market in Australia. Despite widespread concern about the impact of marketing strategies on the risky consumption of wagering products by young men and adolescents, research and policy has failed to keep up with this rapidly growing industry. This study will provide: detailed information about the range of ma ....Selling The Punt: An interdisciplinary analysis of the extent and impact of sports wagering marketing strategies in Australia. Sports wagering is the fastest growing segment of the gambling market in Australia. Despite widespread concern about the impact of marketing strategies on the risky consumption of wagering products by young men and adolescents, research and policy has failed to keep up with this rapidly growing industry. This study will provide: detailed information about the range of marketing strategies used to sell sports wagering in Australia; important qualitative insights into the impact of these marketing strategies on gambling behaviours; and, recommendations for a comprehensive public health approach to help counter the potential long and short term risks associated with sports wagering marketing.Read moreRead less
'Liquid Gold': establishing the place of donated human milk in the tissue economy. Donated human milk can offer profound benefits to the health and survival of hospitalised pre-term infants yet Australia is slow to adopt its use. This research explores the policies and practices of donated human milk use in Australia, and will contribute to the development of donated breast milk policy, and progress current tissue donation theory.