Research Projects

Current Research

The following list represents research projects currently being undertaken by Clearinghouse staff

Specialist Practice Guides

The Victorian Government, Department of Human Services has commissioned the Australian Institute of Family Studies to complete a series of Specialist Practice Guides. Specialist Practice Guides will support the Best Interests Case Practice Model by providing specialist guidance and advice on specific issues or client groups. One of the key features of the guides in that they incorporate contemporary knowledge and research understanding of the subject matter and adopt an evidence-informed approach to practice.

Specialist Practice Guides are being completed on the following topics and issues:

Cumulative harm
Working with families with infants at risk of abuse and neglect
Children (under 10 years) with problematic sexualised behaviours
Young people (10-14 years) with problematic sexualised behaviours
Engaging parents: Assessing and enhancing parenting capability/capacity
Working with families in which an adult is abusive
Working with young people: Adolescents and trauma
Stability and issues associated with removal
Stability and issues associated with reunification
Stability and permanency planning in care

Research utilisation project (Stage 2)

In 2008, the Clearinghouse is continuing its investigation into research use in the Australian child and family welfare setting. The next stage of the project is being conducted in collaboration with the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia and the Alfred Felton Chair at the University of Melbourne. In the next stage of the project we will will investigate the drivers for policy reform via in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in the Australian child protection policy context. Specifically, we will examine the development and implementation of major policy platforms in protecting children in Victoria and South Australia and the role research played in informing this agenda.

Completed Research

The research projects listed below, undertaken by Clearinghouse staff, are now completed.

NCPASS Review of Data Comparability Project

Commencing in 2007, this project examined rates of statutory child protection activity across Australian jurisdictions. Specifically, the project aimed to:

Analyse differences in rates per 1000 children across jurisdictions, and the differences in rates over time within jurisdictions
Identify and assess factors that may explain differences in rates across jurisdictions and within jurisdictions over time

Holzer, P.J., & Bromfield, L.M. (2008). Comparability of child protection data: Project report. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

CDSMAC National Approach for Child Protection Project

Commencing in 2006, this project examined at a high-level the similarities and differences in child protection across Australian jurisdictions. The main objectives of the project were:

to identify if there was a common approach across Australian jurisdictions in responding to the risks and protective needs of children and families
to provide high-level descriptions of key processes and approaches to the delivery of child protection services across Australia.

Bromfield, L.M., & Holzer, P.J. (2008). A National Approach for Child Protection: Project Report. A report to the Community and Disability Services Ministers' Advisory Council (CDSMAC) (PDF 998KB). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Bromfield, L.M. & Holzer, P.J. (2008). Protecting Australian children: Analysis of challenges and strategic directions, CDSMC National Approach for Child Protection Project (PDF 2.5MB). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Research utilisation project (Stage 1)

In 2006 and 2007, a two-stage survey was undertaken to examine the barriers and facilitators of research use by policy makers, practitioners and other professionals in the Australian child and family welfare sector. The findings from this project are described in the report:

Holzer, P., Lewig, K., Bromfield, L. M., & Arney, F. (2007). Research use in the Australian child and family welfare sector (PDF 975KB) | (Word 783KB); Survey 1 (PDF 216KB); Survey 2 (PDF 212KB). Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Other papers developed based on this findings from this project include:

Holzer, P.H. (2008). The research utilisation project: Facilitating research informed policy and practice. Child Abuse Prevention Newsletter, 15(2), pp. 4-5.

Holzer, P.H., Lewig, K., Arney, F., & Bromfield, L.M. (2007). The research utilisation project: Facilitating research informed policy and practice . ARACY Network: Knowledge Brokering Workshop, Benevolent Society, Sydney.

Bromfield, L.M., & Arney, F. (2008). Integrating strategies for delivering evidence-informed practice (PDF 281KB). Beyond the Rhetoric: Evidence-informed practice workshop, Dartington Research in Practice, Dartington, UK.

Bromfield, L.M., & Arney, F. (2008). Developing a road map for research: Identifying the priorities for a national child protection research agenda. Issues Paper No. 28

National comparison of statutory child protection training

This research aims to identify commonalities and differences across Australian jurisdictions in the training of statutory child protection workers.

Bromfield, L. M. (2006). Australasian Statutory Child Protection Learning and Development Group. Child Abuse Prevention Newsletter, 14(2), 11-12.

Bromfield, L. M., & Ryan, R. (2007). National comparison of statutory child protection entry level training. Children, Communities and Families Australia, 2(1), 59-72.

Indigenous Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) project

This project, commissioned by the Australian Council of Children and Parenting (ACCAP), identifies best practice for Indigenous out-of-home care through: (a) a national and international literature review,
The recruitment, retention, and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander foster carers: a literature review (Word 1.3MB or PDF 2.3MB) by Nick Richardson, Leah Bromfield, and Daryl Higgins; and
(b) nation-wide consultations with Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Associations and other key stakeholders, and focus groups with carers, children/young people in care, and care-leavers.
Enhancing out-of-home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (Word 746K or PDF 1.1MB) by Daryl Higgins, Leah Bromfield and Nick Richardson.

In 2006-07, the Clearinghouse in collaboration with the Secretariat for National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) completed a series of papers summarising the key themes that emerged from these reports. They were published as 7 summary papers, in which we identify Strengths and Barriers in recruiting, assessing, training, and supporting carers of Indigenous children. Promising practices in out-of-home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers and young people: strengths and barriers (2007) by Leah M Bromfield, Jenny R Higgins, Daryl J Higgins and Nick Richardson (PDF 1.9MB)

In addition, a series of 4 booklets were developed Profiling Promising Practice in out-of-home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their carers. Promising practices in out-of-home care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers, children and young people: profiling promising programs (2007) by Jenny R Higgins and Nikki Butler (PDF 2.7MB)

Neighbourhood effects research program

Using data from Growing up in Australia: the longitudinal study of Australian children to investigate the impact of neighbourhood on children's outcomes, this research is being undertaken in collaboration with researchers from other areas of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Edwards, B., & Bromfield, L. M. (2008, in press). Neighborhood influences on young children's emotional and behavioral problems and prosocial behavior: Evidence from an Australian national sample. Children and Youth Services Review.

National Child Protection Research Audit

With assistance from the University of South Australia, we produced an audit of research being conducted in the areas of child protection, child maltreatment and child abuse prevention.

National audit of Australian child protection research 1995-2004 (Word 628K or PDF 2.5MB) by Daryl J Higgins, Rennell M Adams, Leah M Bromfield, Nicholas Richardson and Melissa S Aldana.

Literature Review for Community Services Ministers Advisory Council (CSMAC) National Foster Care Working Group

In 2004, Cashmore and Ainsworth undertook an Audit of Australian out-of-home care research (PDF 1.5MB), focusing on appropriate research projects. With results gained from the Audit by Cashmore and Ainsworth, this literature review to contributed to the National Plan for Foster Children by identifying international literature in areas determined in the audit as containing research gaps and by determining implications of findings for Australia.

Out-of-home care in Australia: messages from research (Word 1.6MB or PDF 1.7MB) by Leah Bromfield, Daryl Higgins, Alexandra Osborn, Stacey Panozzo and Nicholas Richardson.

This review was updated and published in the Child Abuse Prevention Issues series:

Bromfield, L. M., & Osborn, A. (2007). 'Getting the big picture': A synopsis and critique of Australian out-of-home care research. Child Abuse Prevention Issues, 26.

Literature Review and Research Report for Community Services Ministers Advisory Council (CSMAC) Child-Safe Organisations Working Group

The aim of the project was to provide a substantial literature report on risk factors for child maltreatment, risk assessment tools for use in child related employment screening, and data on abuse of children within organisations.

Understanding organisational risk factors for child maltreatment: a review of the literature (Word 1.9MB or PDF 1.6MB) by Lorraine R Beyer, Daryl J Higgins and Leah M Bromfield.

This review was updated and published in the Child Abuse Prevention Issues series:

Bromfield, L. M., & Osborn, A. (2007). 'Getting the big picture': A synopsis and critique of Australian out-of-home care research. Child Abuse Prevention Issues, 26.

Indigenous Community Development Evaluation

Following on from the successful contract that the Stronger Families Learning Exchange (SFLEX) had in 2004 to write up Early Learnings from community development projects funded by Telstra Foundation, the National Child Protection Clearinghouse will evaluated 14 Indigenous community development projects.

Indigenous community development projects: early learnings research report (PDF 3.3MB) v.2, edited by Daryl Higgins, Telstra Foundation.