- Home |
- Contact Us |
- Site Map |
- Subscribe
We conduct research into issues affecting children and young people. Some of this research is undertaken on behalf of the NSW Child Death Review Team.
Current research
Children at work: Wave 2
What are we doing?
We are investigating the experiences of kids who work: how many work, why they work, the types of work they do, the conditions they work under, the impacts of work on other areas of their lives, and who kids turn to if they have problems at work.
Why are we doing it?
The findings will help us see if there have been any changes in children’s work experiences since the first wave of research was released in 2005.
Who are we working with?
The Department of Education and Training are our partners in this research.
Where are we up to?
We are recruiting children in Years 7-10 in NSW government schools to take part. Some of these children have already completed the survey.
Trends in Child Deaths in NSW from 1996 to 2005
What are we doing?
We are investigating whether child deaths have significantly increased or decreased over the past decade for particular causes of death based on information such how old they are and where they live.
Why are we doing it?
We are searching for new ways to prevent or reduce the number of deaths of children and young people in NSW.
Who are we working with?
We are undertaking this research on behalf of the NSW Child Death Review Team.
Where are we up to?
The research is underway, and we are now analysing the data and writing our report.
For more information, go to Child Death Review Team publications.
Mobile me: Children and mobile phones
What are we doing?
We are exploring how kids use mobile phones and how owning a mobile phone affects young people’s relationships with family and friends, their economic maturity, and their general well-being.
We’ll also be looking at how children who don’t use mobile phones feel.
Why are we doing it?
The findings will help decision makers and parents find better and fairer ways to improve young people’s experiences with mobile phones.
Who are we working with?
We are doing this research with the University of Technology, Sydney and the NSW Department of Education and Training.
Where are we up to?
The study will run for three years. We are recruiting children in Year 6 and Year 9 in NSW government schools to take part. Some of these children have already completed the survey.
Children’s understanding of poverty
What are we doing?
We are developing a research project that will explore how kids experience poverty. Programs to combat poverty don’t include the perspectives of kids and we think they’d be more effective if they included children’s perspectives.
Why are we doing it?
We will use the knowledge to influence policies and services for kids and programs that combat poverty so they better fit with children’s experience.
Who are we working with?
We are developing the research project with the Benevolent Society and RMIT University, Melbourne.
Where are we up to?
We have hosted a national roundtable of experts to discuss approaches to children in poverty in Australia and consulted with children to understand how poverty impacts on their lives.
Four papers also been released:
- Children and poverty: Why their experience of their lives matter for policy
- The importance of identity in policy: The case for and of children
- Children’s lived experience of poverty: A review of the literature
- Pulling the threads together – Consultations, conversations and contemplations on child poverty in Australia
We are in the process of applying for funding to undertake the project.
Young carers
What are we doing?
This research project is exploring the needs of young people with significant informal caring responsibilities for other people, usually family members, who have a chronic illness, physical or mental disability and the impact of these responsibilities on their lives.
Why are we doing it?
This often forgotten group of children and young people are vulnerable to poor outcomes in a range of areas as a result of their care responsibilities.
Who are we working with?
The Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales is leading this research. We are one of their partners.
We are providing advice and assistance on child-centred research practices and ways to involve young people as researchers in the project. We are also providing the data we collected in our Children at Work study to the lead researchers.
Where are we up to?
Stage one of the project is currently underway. In this stage the research leaders will complete a literature review and conduct focus groups with agencies that provide services for young carers in New South Wales and South Australia.
Parent employment and child wellbeing
What are we doing?
This study looks at how the quality of a parent’s job affects their role as a parent.
Why are we doing it?
The results will help us influence decision makers to reduce any negative impact of parents work on children.
Who are we working with?
The University of New England, Queensland University of Technology and the Australian National University are leading this research. We are one of their partners.
Where are we up to?
The analysis is complete and the research leaders are in the process of publicising the results. We will disseminate the results soon through our networks.
Young people with chronic health conditions
What are we doing?
As kids with chronic health conditions grow up, they begin to take more responsibility for their own care. This research is being developed to find out more about how this transition works.
Why are we doing it?
The findings will be used to help these young people, and their families and carers, especially through adolescence.
Who are we working with?
The University of Sydney is leading this research. We are one of their partners.
Where are we up to?
A literature review is being finalised. The next stage will involve generating two grant applications.
Ethical issues in children’s participation in research
What are we doing?
We are developing a research project to better understand the points of view of people involved in research that involves kids: ethics committees, researchers, and the kids themselves.
Why are we doing it?
Researchers, ethics regulators and ethics committees can be reluctant to conduct participatory research with kids, which means kids voices are not heard, and they can’t influence policies or programs.
Who are we working with?
We are working with the Queensland University of Technology.
Where are we up to?
We are of applying for funding to undertake the project.
