Siblinghood through disability studies perspectives: Diversifying discourse and knowledge about siblings with and without disabilities

Research about siblings where one has a disability has historically focused on the psychological outcomes of siblings of people with disabilities and has very rarely asked people with disabilities about their sibling relationships. This research focus represents the common individualizing approach and under-representation of people with disabilities that disability studies has argued against. Tracing the history of research about siblings and disability through de/institutionalization and towards current broader theories in disability studies, this article suggests that a range of disability studies perspectives can usefully de-individualize and expand research about siblings where one has a disability. Through examples of how materialist, feminist and inclusive perspectives can be applied to open up research about siblings and disability, the article argues that viewing siblinghood through the range of disability studies perspectives has the potential to expand this research field and represent new facets of siblings’ identities and lives together

Self-directed disability support: building people’s capacity through peer support and action research

How are people with disability experiencing and managing the transition towards self directed support and preparing for the NDIS? In this project, small groups of people with disability around Australia met over 6 months to talk about their disability support. The peer support groups enabled action research about how they are deciding the practical details about support, such as how, when and by whom it is provided

Pathways to educational engagement: an exploratory study of outcomes from an Australian school-based youth mentoring program

School-based mentoring (SBM) programs are seen as a way of preventing the disengagement of young people from education. However, existing research points to a complex relationship between SBM programs and improved engagement outcomes. There is therefore a need for greater understanding of the pathways through which SBM leads to outcomes for young people. This paper addresses this complexity, examining the nuanced ways in which SBM may lead to positive outcomes for young people. Drawing on the qualitative perspectives of 15 young people engaged in an Australian SBM program, the findings point to two types of pathways to outcomes. First, direct pathways go to the heart of young people’s engagement, by prioritizing educational performance and achievement as the focus of the mentoring relationship. Second, holistic pathways see mentors seeking to influence young people’s broader thinking about the value of education, their wellbeing and their communication skills, to in turn address issues that may otherwise present barriers to young people’s engagement. The paper discusses the policy implications of the findings. It highlights the importance of acknowledging and measuring incremental steps to improved educational engagement, in a context of young people experiencing non-linear and complex pathways to engagement outcomes

Supported accommodation evaluation framework (SAEF) guide

High hopes for the NDIS are that people with disability will be able to live as independently as they choose, with the housing of their choice, and with the paid support that suits their preferences and life goals. Research conducted by the Social Policy Research Centre for the NSW government about disability housing support that is like the NDIS found that most people did achieve some positive outcomes. Least change was evident in people’s interpersonal relationships and employment, and some people did not live in housing that met their needs.&nbsp

The relationship between a trusted adult and adolescent outcomes:A protocol of a scoping review

Abstract Background Although documentation of harm towards children and young people has existed for centuries, it was not until the 1960s that it became a specific focus for health professionals. Since that time, the importance of protective social networks has become better understood. The concept of trusted adults has come into sharper focus, with children being encouraged to develop networks of dependable adults to turn to for support in times of need. While many child protection processes highlight risks to younger children, there has been less emphasis on older children. The role of trusted adults may be particularly important during adolescence, due to burgeoning independence, developing sexuality, relationship formation, and associated vulnerabilities. While important choices relating to health and education are made during this period, there is little formal evidence relating to the impact of trusted adults on such outcomes. This review therefore aims to focus on the role and influence of trusted adults for adolescents. Methods This study is a scoping review. A broad range of databases will be searched, including MEDLINE, ERIC, Education Abstracts, Web of Science, ASSIA, Sociological Abstracts, and PsycINFO. Predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria will be used, with a focus on outcomes relating to health and education. Two reviewers will blind screen papers independently at all screening stages, with conflicts being resolved by a third reviewer. Quantitative and qualitative studies, as well as unpublished (grey) literature/reports, will be included. We will use the World Health Organization’s ‘second decade’ definition of adolescence. We aim to collate and map evidence in a broad overview and produce meta-analyses of homogenous data. Where this is not possible, a narrative summary will be produced. Discussion There appears to be sparse knowledge regarding the role of trusted adults for adolescents. Potential benefits to health and wellbeing may impact on educational attainment, and vice versa. These areas are of particular relevance during the second decade, when decisions that affect future direction, achievement, and wellbeing are being made. The increased understanding of the role of trusted adults provided by this review may help to inform practice and policy and lead to potential benefits for the health and education of adolescents. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD 4201707673

Setting an agenda for disability research in Australia: organisation-led and targeted consultation report

This report presents the results of the Phase 2b consultation conducted with 974 individuals from 21 non-government organisations (NGOs), including service providers and disabled peoples’ organisations (DPOs), the First Nations-focused National Disability Research Agenda survey and online focus groups and in-depth interviews with people with augmentative and alternative communication needs. It is part of multi-phase research agenda setting exercise that has been conducted to understand existing disability research in Australia and consult with the disability sector to understand their priorities for disability research. This research was funded by the National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP) to underpin their development of an agenda for Australian disability research over the next decade

History and Future of Sibling-Disability Research

Our article, ‘Siblinghood through disability studies perspectives’ published at Disability & Society, is about sibling-disability research. Sibling-disability research is research about siblings where one has a disability. The article is about the history of sibling-disability research and possibilities for it in the future

Barriers to finding and maintaining open employment for people with intellectual disability in Australia

Everyone has the right to employment. Work is important for health, well‐being, and social, economic, and financial inclusion. However, it is often difficult for people with intellectual disability to find and maintain work, especially in the open labour market. Policy challenges remain about who can access open employment (also sometimes called competitive or supported employment) and how often people with intellectual disability do so. Greater understanding about the barriers that people with intellectual disability encounter when they try to find and keep work in open employment is needed. Drawing on research with 51 people with intellectual disability in Australia, this paper examines the systemic barriers they report to finding and maintaining work in open employment. The findings highlight that the barriers they experience stem from narrow, dismissive, and discouraging attitudes to their work in open employment and from a spectrum of experiences of stigma and discrimination in open workplaces. The paper thus provides new knowledge about reasons that people with intellectual disability may either reject or not continue in open employment and take up less inclusive work options. The paper discusses the implications of the findings, including the need for policy development for attitudinal change, designing more varied roles for employees with intellectual disability, ensuring access to industrial relations protections, and increasing and better regulating and funding requirements on support to people with intellectual disability who are seeking work in open employment

Social Action Partners: peer support for children and young people with intellectual disability and their families in Victoria

This project used a social action research approach with two groups of Victorian children and young people with intellectual disability aged 9-22 and their parents. The groups conducted research and provided peer support about their experiences with self-directed disability support. The intentions were to build capacity among children, young people and families for the transition to a policy context of self-directed support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and to build capacity within the disability community for self-direction, strengthen peer support and develop research competence. Three facilitator organisations ran two workshops with each group. Data was generated and collected through discussion, artefacts from the workshops, feedback forms, demographic surveys, notes written by the facilitators and teleconferences with the facilitators. The findings cover the extent to which children, young people and parents had used self-directed disability support and their thoughts about its future possibilities for them, as well as children and young people’s reflections on their participation in school, work, volunteering, relationships and their aspirations for the future – for children and young people, funding and support were a means to achieving their goals in these life areas. The findings also cover the experience and outcomes of information sharing, mentoring, role modelling and the opportunity for dedicated dialogue and discussion time available in the groups formed for the project. The project’s findings have policy implications for children, young people and parents’ access to self-directed support options in the future; their control over managing their support; how to better cater to information needs; the importance of peer support, information sharing and opportunities for discussion in developing capacity for self-directed support; and the need to focus decisions about support arrangements on the aspirations of children and young people.  For more information, visit the SPRC websit

A framework for interconnected benefits of peer support for family members of people with disability

Peer support describes the process of giving and receiving support between people who share similar life experiences. It is commonly used by family members of people with disability, with positive outcomes. However, existing research tends to assume it has separate and discrete benefits, neglecting the subtleties of how the different outcomes may be interconnected and mutually reinforcing. An account of these broader connections between benefits is needed. Drawing on Australian data from 24 parents and siblings of people with disability, this paper identifies benefits of peer support, including exchange of information, benefiting from experience and problem solving; motivation/encouragement and self-confidence/personal development; social interaction and friendship; understanding, perspective and belonging/community; working together for change; and resilience and well-being. The paper then proposes a framework to understand these benefits in an interconnected manner, where they are either transactional (giving and receiving practical and social-emotional resources) or integrative (assimilating what is given and received into one\u27s own experience and actions). The implications for practice and for families are discussed