Search
Research
Learning Together and Learning Together at Home: Program Model ReviewLearning Together, developed by the South Australian Department for Education, aims to create enriched learning environments that can be transferred to the home to support positive changes for children and families.
News & Events
Children follow in their parent’s behaviour footstepsNew research shows that parents have an important role to play in teaching their children to understand another person's feelings and point of view.
News & Events
Breastfeeding Boosts Brain PowerChildren who are mainly breastfed for the first six months (or longer) score significantly higher academically at 10 years of age, especially boys.
Research
The Association Between Breakfast Skipping and Positive and Negative Emotional Wellbeing Outcomes for Children and Adolescents in South AustraliaThe prevalence of child and adolescent breakfast skipping is concerning, and limited existing evidence suggests an association between skipping breakfast and negative emotional wellbeing outcomes. However, positive emotional wellbeing outcomes have been neglected from research in this space.
Research
Koorlangka Dreaming Becomes a Reality: A Moombaki Virtual Reality with Connections to Noongar Moort, Boodja, and KarnarnIn this paper, we describe the developmental process of a culturally grounded Moombaki virtual reality (VR) game. We share how Aboriginal children’s drawings have informed the creation of an interactive learning platform for primary school-aged children attending schools in Wadjuk Boodja. The project focused on connecting students to cultural knowledge through immersive storytelling, creative exploration, and collaborative design by using small group yarning circles and game development activities.
Research
In utero and early-life nitrate in drinking water impacts lung function of weanling ratsConsumption of nitrate in drinking water has previously been associated with a range of adverse health effects, including methemoglobinemia and potentially cancer. In animal models, it has been shown to impact respiratory structure and function, however, there is a paucity of data of the effects of in utero exposure on the respiratory health of offspring.
Research
Change in Dental Visits Among Eligible Children Under the Impact of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule in AustraliaIn Australia, although there have been some improvements, child oral health continues to be a major public health issue. The Australian Government introduced the means-tested Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) in 2014 to support access to dental services for children and adolescents aged 0-17 years from low-income families.
Research
Accuracy of a 2-minute eye-tracking assessment to differentiate young children with and without autismEye-tracking could expedite autism identification/diagnosis through standardisation and objectivity. We tested whether Gazefinder autism assessment, with Classification Algorithm derived from gaze fixation durations, would have good accuracy (area under the curve [AUC] ≥ 0.80) to differentiate 2-4-year-old autistic from non-autistic children.
Research
Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/hyperkinetic disorder of pediatric and adult populations in clinical settings: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regressionAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Hyperkinetic Disorder (HD) is linked to increased risks of morbidity, comorbidity and mortality, with higher prevalence in clinical populations. The differential prevalence of ADHD/HD across adult and pediatric clinical populations, influenced by factors such as time trends, sex, age, geographic regions, and comorbidities, has not been systematically assessed.
Research
Evaluation of the Acceptability and Feasibility of the Social Attention and Communication Surveillance-Revised (SACS-R) Tool for Early Identification of Autism in Preterm InfantsPreterm birth is associated with a 3.3-fold increased likelihood of autism diagnosis, with lower gestational age conferring higher likelihood. In Australia, autism is typically diagnosed at around age four, potentially missing the optimal neuroplasticity window before age two. The Social Attention and Communication Surveillance-Revised (SACS-R) tool identifies early autism signs in children aged 11-30 months, enabling pre-emptive intervention.