It’s been a busy few months for our members. Read on to hear what our researchers have been busy working on!
Achievements and Publications
We celebrate the recent achievements and publication successes of our colleagues!
A/Prof Rebecca Byrne has published an article in ‘The Conversation’ on feeding young kids on a budget. You can access it here. Food for thought (pun intended!).
Dr Glenys Mann has an article in press to be published soon! Mann, G., Kennedy-Wood, L., & Gilmore, L. (in press).
The role of parents in facilitating safe, quality, inclusive education for students with intellectual disabilities: The position of the Disability Royal Commission. Research and Practice in Intellectual and developmental Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1080/23297018.2024.2337756
Congratulations to our members Prof Kerryann Walsh, Adjunct Prof Donna Berthelsen, Prof Beth Saggers and A/Prof Maryanne Theobald and their colleagues, whose research has informed chapters in a revised text for practitioners and preservice teachers: Health and Wellbeing in Childhood. This important work is one pathway toward strengthening the nexus between the research and teaching.
Ch 9 Education for the prevention of sexual abuse in the early years by Kerryann Walsh, Donna Berthelsen and Jan Nicholson,
- Ch 12 Strengthening social and emotional learning in young children with special educational needs by Wendi Beamish and Beth Saggers
- Ch 14 Friendships by Maryanne Theobald, Susan Danby, Catherine Thompson and Karen Thorpe
Unicef Innocenti report
A new report by UNICEF Innocenti (co-funded by UNICEF and The LEGO Foundation) has highlighted how digital games can positively impact children’s wellbeing.
Congratulations to CfCFS members A/Prof Maryanne Theobald and Philippa Amery who contributed to the report, led by the ARC QUT Centre for the Digital Child team researchers: Prof Susan Danby, Prof Daniel Johnson, Prof Simon Smith, Prof Lisa Kervin, Prof Karen Murcia, Janelle MacKenzie, Manesha A., Ella Horton, Madison Klarkowski, and Kim Balnaves.
You can read about the QUT-led part of the research here:
Are video games good for young kids? QUT study finds ‘wellbeing’ benefits – Digital Child
Phillipa (Pip) Amery and Maryanne Theobald also contributed to the Digital Child Ethics Toolkit: Ethical Considerations for Digital Childhoods Research as part of their involvement with the Australian Research Council Centre for the Digital Child. The tool kit prompts research considerations when researching with young children and technology.
The list of authors from the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child include: Mannell, Kate, Zhao, Andy, Amery, Pip, Apps, Tiffani, Bircanin, Filip, Bunn, Anna, Bandara, Dinusha, de Kok, Michelle, Dezuanni, Michael, Dobson, Madeleine, Duffy, Gavin, Fillmore, Naomi, Hayes, Nicole, Hendry, Danica, Kervin, Lisa, Langton, Katrin, Levido, Amanda, Mackenzie, Janelle, Mantei, Jessica, Mavoa, Jane, Nicholas, Maria, Ng, Rebecca, Paatsch, Louise, Rodriguez, Aleesha, Mil-Homens Figueira Dos Santos Silva, Irina, Theobald, Maryanne, White, Sonia, Woods, Annette, Bennett, Sue, Campbell, Amity, Danby, Susan, Harris, Courtenay, Horwood, Sharon, Livingstone, Sonia, Pangrazio, Luci, Sefton-Green, Julian, Shay, Marnee, & Zabatiero, Juliana.
You can access the toolkit freely by clicking here.
VELP Lift Off
Congratulations to A/Prof Megan Gibson and team on the launch of the Victorian Educational Leadership Program (VELP) this week. The course is the result of detailed planning, co-design workshops and curriculum development, and is focussed on enhancing leadership capacity with two cohorts – VELP Foundations and VELP Advanced course. Both courses are fully subscribed with 50 students each, and the orientation sessions went exceptionally well.
Well done to Megan (Project Lead), Kristy Hammond, ELACCA colleagues Dr Elizabeth Death, Kim Crisp and Jess Giese, Dr Abbe Winter and our fabulous QUT VELP teaching team and CfCFS members – Dr Marie White, Dr Julia Mascadri, Dr Francis Bogongie-Harris and a/Prof Maryanne Theobald.
Member A/Prof Kym Simoncini who, as OMEP Australia President, has been attending the OMEP European Conference and Assembly with the theme, “Sustainability From The Start”, April 24-26, 2024 in OMEP Sweden and Kristianstad University. Find out more by clicking the link above.
OMEP stands for the World Organisation for Early Childhood Education, and is an NGO founded in 1948 operating in more than 60 countries that works to defend Human Rights of girls and boys since they are born until they are eight years of age (Early childhood). OMEP advocates for early childhood education and care as a right and a tool to attain other rights: integral development, citizenship, wellbeing, and dignity for all the girls and boys in the world.
Well done Kym – we look forward to hearing all about your travels!
Coming events of interest to Child and Family Studies
Prof Kerryann Walsh invites you to a presentation of ANROWS Evidence Portal.
9 May 2024
10-11.30am
https://qut.zoom.us/j/89493838155?pwd=V0dtMWkyOHBsTVJ0QjlWcDJ0eXNtZz09&from=addon
The ANROWS Evidence Portal, launched in September 2023, is a living online resource that allows users to find high-quality, curated information quickly and easily about what might work to address or end violence against women. The Portal is designed to promote a collective understanding of where the evidence exists and where there are gaps, what interventions might work, to inform evidence-based policymaking, and to support quality decision-making and implementation.
Lorelei Hine is ANROW’s Research Manager and manages the Evidence Portal. Lorelei has expertise in systematic review and evidence mapping methodology that underpins the Evidence Portal, and has previously worked for the Campbell Collaboration. Lorelei has a background in social sciences, with particular research interests in domestic and family violence, crimes against children, procedural justice, and policing.
Lorelei will provide:
- An overview of the Evidence Portal
- An illustration of how it works, focused on two forms of intervention (one focused on primary prevention and one on secondary/tertiary intervention)
- Some reflections on ‘so what?’ – How can universities and violence prevention advocates make use of the portal?
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety Limited (ANROWS) is a not-for-profit independent national research organisation. ANROWS was established as an initiative of Australia’s National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 and is continuing under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. ANROWS was established by the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments of Australia to produce, disseminate, and assist in applying evidence for policy and practice addressing violence against women and their children. ANROWS is the only such research organisation in Australia.
Celebrating Under 8s Week, and the work of early childhood teachers everywhere, QUT is partnering with Early Childhood Australia to facilitate an engaging conversation on promoting children’s strong cultural identity and respect for diverse cultures.
We are excited to announce this year’s panellists who will explore the topic “connecting cultures through play”. The panel includes:
- Aunty Denise Proud
- Dr Melinda Miller, Director of Early Learning, First Five Early Learning
- Anaik Doyle, Multicultural Australia
- Emily Moore, Teacher, The Compass Independent School, Kelvin Grove
and will be moderated by Dr Lyndal O’Gorman, School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, QUT and member of Centre for Child and Family Studies.
This is a free professional learning opportunity that will make explicit links to the Early Years Learning Framework and Australian Curriculum, and evidence-informed pedagogies and practices.
Join colleagues and engage in collaborative critical reflection to deepen your understanding of cultural safety, cultural responsiveness, play-based learning approaches and teacher intentionality. If you are unable to attend in person at QUT Kelvin Grove, please join us online.
Suitable for all colleagues with an interest in early childhood education birth to 8 years, including preservice educators and teachers.
