Research Centre for Children and Families

The Research Centre for Children and Families aims to contribute policy and practice-relevant research to inform cross-government reforms currently underway across the human services sector in NSW and Australia. Taking a rights-based approach, we seek to have an impact on practitioners, the judiciary, and policymakers to promote the best interests of children and their families. The centre aims to foster research excellence through global and local affiliations. We foster multidisciplinary collaborations across disciplines such as social work, education, economics, sociology, law, public health, and psychology, with the goal of translating research findings to inform policy and practice. Our team builds industry partnerships through undertaking research commissioned by government and non-government organisations and pursuing competitive research grants that have a direct impact on sector reforms. The centre is leading efforts to generate an extensive national and international network that will provide the foundation for collaborative multidisciplinary research projects, and affiliation with academics with complementary areas of expertise. Central to these efforts is engagement with Aboriginal academics and community organisations. Fostering cultural competence in research involving vulnerable families and communities and contributing to opportunities for Aboriginal community led research is a priority for our research agenda.