Our Team

Professor Anne Graham is the Foundation Director of the Centre for Children and Young People. Anne's background is in education and sociology. Her research and professional interests include children's social and emotional well-being, participation and engagement in schools, ethical issues in researching with children & young people, and teacher learning. Anne developed the highly successful education program, Seasons for Growth which supports children, young people and parents who have experienced significant change in their family due to death, separation or divorce. More than 150,000 children and young people in 5 countries have participated in the program.

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Associate Professor Judy Cashmore is the Chair of the Centre for Children and Young People's Advisory Board. Judy has a background in developmental psychology and is a distinguished researcher in the care and protection of children. She has published widely and served on a number of government committees concerning child protection and policy. Judy has also been involved as a consultant with a range of Federal and State organisations and she presented the non-government report on Children's Rights to the United Nations.

Dr Sally Robinson is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Collaborative Research Network program at the Centre for Children and Young People at SCU. Her research interests and experience centre on abuse and neglect of young people with intellectual disability; personal safety and resilience of young people with disability who experience harm; social policy and disability programs; individualised approaches to support; and participatory and inclusive research methods. Sally has been involved in a range of research and evaluation in the social policy arena over the past decade, focusing particularly on safety, accommodation and social exclusion concerns of people with disability. Prior to life as a researcher, Sally has a long history of advocacy and support work with people with intellectual disability.

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Dr Renata Phelps is a senior research fellow with the CCYP. Current projects include research on Vietnamese children's perspectives on learning and the provision of quality primary education and the application of complexity theory to education. Recent research has focused on the application of a metacognitive approach to ICT professional development for teachers.

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Dr Robyn Fitzgerald is a postdoctoral researcher and has been involved with the Centre since its inception. She has degrees in education and law and is an admitted Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW. She completed her PhD with the CCYP focused on children's experiences of decision making in family law. Robyn's other areas of research include the views and perspectives of children in legal and educational settings, children's views of citizenship, rights and responsibilities and family law systems internationally.

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Dr Ian Nisbet is a project officer currently seconded to the CCYP from the Department of Human Services (Juvenile Justice). He is based at the Coffs Harbour campus and is working on the Family Inclusion Project (FIP). The FIP is exploring the potential of a 'wraparound' interagency service model to reduce criminal recidivism among juvenile justice clients in Kempsey. He is a forensic psychologist and his previous research has been in the area of sexual offending among adolescents.

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Dr Sallie Newell is a senior research officer in the CCYP, with qualifications in psychology and behavioural science. Sallie's main research interests are focused on how economic inequity and early childhood experiences influence individuals' development and wellbeing throughout their lives; and using collaborative evaluation approaches to enhance organisations' capacity, as well as the reach and impact of their program.

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Ms Wendy Britt is the Administrative Officer for the CCYP. She has been involved with the Centre since 2004 and plays a key role in administering the Centre's projects and operations. Wendy has completed an Associate Degree in paralegal studies and recently completed a Bachelor of Legal and Justice Studies.

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Ms Alison Moss is a research assistant for the CCYP. She completed her Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Southern Cross University in 2009, graduating with first class honours and receiving a University Medal. Alison also received a student teachers award from the Mathematics Association of NSW in 2010 for her excellence in the teaching of Mathematics.

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Ms Marie Maxted is a research assistant for the CCYP. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology, Anthropology and History) at the University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba) and has subsequently worked at Monash University and The University of Melbourne as a research assistant for the Indigenous Studies program. She is now completing a Bachelor of Education (Primary), with Honors, at Southern Cross University.

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Judy Cashmore is the Chair of the Centre for Children and Young People's Advisory Board. Judy has a background in developmental psychology and is a distinguished researcher in the care and protection of children. She has published widely and served on a number of government committees concerning child protection and policy. Judy has also been involved as a consultant with a range of Federal and State organisations and she presented the non-government report on Children's Rights to the United Nations.

Mary Kellett is Professor and Director of Childhood and Youth at the Open University. She has been involved with children and young people for 35 years starting out as a childrens social worker and then a primary teacher before embarking on a post doctoral academic career. Mary's work converges around the empowerment of children and young people. She is probably best known for her pioneering work to establish research by children and young people as a distinct research paradigm and an important vehicle of authentic voice. In 2003 she founded the Children's Research Centre http://childrens-research-centre.open.ac.uk specifically to support research BY children and young people. Mary sits on a number of national and international advisory groups and her work has been the focus of many initiatives including projects in nine European countries. Children and young people with disablities and those at the margins of society feature strongly in her work. She has published widely on a diverse range of childhood and youth issues.'

Anne Smith is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Otago, Dunedin. New Zealand. She was Director of the Children's Issues Centre between 1995 until 2006, The Centre carried out research on children's well being and rights in such areas as family law, early childhood education, and the prevention of child abuse. Anne has published many research articles, and written several books including Understanding Children's Development; and (with colleagues) Children's Voices, Learning in the Making and Global Pathways to Abolishing Physical Punishment. Anne is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, a former chair of the Marsden Social Science panel and recipient of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education McKenzie award for innovative research. In 2009 she received a US award for her 'research and advocacy to ensure that the voices of children are heard'.

Dr Amy Cutter-Mackenzie is an Associate Professor in the School of Education in Sustainability, Environment and Education. She joined the School in December 2011. Prior to joining SCU, she was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Monash University. She commenced her career as a primary school teacher in Queensland, worked as a specialist environmental educator overseas and then later moved into academia after completing her PhD in 2005.

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Dr Michael Gard teaches, researches and writes about how the human body is and has been used, experienced, educated and governed. This work includes projects on the science of obesity, the history of sport, and the sexual and gender politics of dance education. With Carolyn Vender Schee, he is currently writing a book about the historical and contemporary relationships between schools and public health policy. Amongst other things, this work considers the evolution of public health practice and policy in schools as well as the ways in which contemporary health policies make schools and children increasingly available for corporate exploitation.

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Professor Martin Hayden's research is focused on young people's experiences of higher education, including issues such as student attrition, part time enrolment and juggling part-time employment with full-time university study. He is currently involved in a number of projects focused on Vietnam's higher education sector.

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Dr Brian Kean's research interests include special education, inclusion, ADHD and other psychiatric disorders, early intervention, behaviour management and behaviour management.

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Ms Deana Leahy's research interests are framed by a concern about the political and moral work that is 'done' under the guise of improving the health of young people. At present her research explores the areas of drug education, sex education and nutrition education within broader health promotion and education frameworks. She is currently working on a number of funded projects with Family Planning Victoria and Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria.

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Dr Brad Shipway specialises in the area of human society and its environment (also known as studies of society and environment). He has a keen interest in the philosophy of education and critical realism. Brad's current research projects include: the spiritual and religious development of young people in Catholic schools in the Lismore Diocese and a study of children and young people's perspectives on citizenship rights and responsibilities.

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Adjunct Professor Keith Skamp's areas of research expertise are science and environmental/sustainability education within the formal education sector. During 2007-2009 he had a number of funded research and consultancy projects in these areas, as well as being invited to provide direct input and reports to the development of national and state science and environmental education curricula. Keith has published more than 60 refereed journal publications, many in internationally recognized research journals as well as over 40 other publications in science and environmental education. Keith is the editor and main writer of 'Teaching Primary Science Constructively' (2008, 3rd edn, Thomson; 4th edn Cengage in preparation [2010]). Currently Keith, with colleagues at the University of Liverpool, leads an international project investigating primary and secondary students' beliefs and willingness to act to reduce global warming; several papers have been published in this area. With his interest in environmental education, Keith is a member of the CCYP Advisory Committee for the project: 'Why do young people care? Environmental advocacy collectives'. Keith serves on the editorial board of the international journal 'Research in Science Education', as well as being a reviewer for other leading international journals such as 'Comparative Education Review, Environmental Education Research' and 'Teaching and Teacher Education'.

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Dr Judith Wilks is a lecturer and course coordinator in the School of Education at Southern Cross University. She has taught in a range of sociology and geography courses at a number of Australian universities, including Melbourne University, RMIT, and the University of New England. Judith has also taught in NSW high schools in the state and Catholic education systems. In 2007 she won the NSW Premier's Energy Australia Environmental Education Teacher Scholarship to travel to Italy and the UK to study leading practice in UNICEF's Child Friendly Cities initiatives - policies and programs. In 2008/2009 Judith was successful in obtaining research funding from the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY); the Higher Education Equity Support Program; and the Southern Cross University Teaching and Learning Small Grant Scheme. These funds have been used to carry out extensive research in the north coast region of NSW aiming to deepen our understandings of the experience of children and young people around social exclusion/ social inclusion

in regional and rural settings, and of the barriers to university participation experienced by young people from Indigenous backgrounds and backgrounds of disadvantage.

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Adjunct Professor Bob Wright specialises in mathematics education, specifically early number learning and he has led several ARC funded projects on intervention with low-attaining students. Bob developed the intervention program Mathematics Recovery which is widely used in the US, UK and elsewhere. Bob was also significant in the development of the highly successful NSW DET initiative known as Count Me In Too. Bob has co-authored three books on mathematic intervention and classroom teaching of number (published by Sage).

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Huynh Thi Nhan Hieu is currently completing her PhD with the CCYP under Renata Phelps and Anne Grahams supervision. Her thesis is titled "Teachers' perceptions of child-cenred education and its potential in supporting Jrai ethinic minority primary students in Gia Lai, Viet Nam".

Danny Hatchman is currently completing his Educational Doctorate with the CCYP under the supervision of both Anne Graham and Brad Shipway. His work centres around the religious practice and spiritual lives of young adolescents in transition from primary to secondary Catholic education. His thesis is titled "An exploration of influences on faith-nurtured students' religiosity and spirituality in transition from Primary to Secondary Catholic schooling - the perspective of students".

Charlie O'Sullivan is undertaking his PhD with the CCYP under the supervision of Renata Phelps and Brad Shipway. His thesis will focus on primary school teachers' and students' experiences in one-to-one laptop classrooms.

Shelley Thornton is currently completing her PhD with the CCYP under Anne Graham and Renata Phelps' supervision. Her thesis is titled "Supporting children's social and emotional wellbeing in schools".

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Jan Backhouse was awarded her PhD in 2009 after studying with the CCYP under Anne Graham's supervision. Her thesis was titled "Grandparents raising their grandchildren".

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Robyn Fitzgerald completed her PhD with the CCYP in early 2009 under Professor Anne Grahams supervision. Her thesis was titled "Children Having a Say: A Study on Children's Participation in Family Law Decision Making".

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Jenny Gidley completed her PhD with the CCYP in 2008 under Professor Anne Grahams supervision. Her thesis was titled "The Evolution of Consciousness and its Implications for Transformational Education".

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Gary Hampson completed his PhD with the CCYP under Anne Graham's supervision. His thesis is titled "Education beyond economicism: A scholarship of integration inquiry".

Liz Reimer completed her PhD through University of South Australia and has been based at the CCYP and was co-supervised by Anne Graham. Her research is focused on understanding the parent-worker relationship in family work interventions.

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Michelle Townsend is recently completed her PhD with the CCYP under Anne Graham's supervision. Her thesis is titled "Are we making the grade? The education of children and young people in care of the state".

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Dr Jan Backhouse was awarded her PhD in 2009 after studying with the CCYP under Anne Graham's supervision. Her thesis was titled "Grandparents raising their grandchildren".

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Dr Wendy Boyd is a lecturer and researcher in early childhood education and care at Southern Cross University. She has 25 years of practical early childhood educational experience and worked with organisations including TAFE, ECTARC and Lady Gowrie (NSW) and the National Childcare Accreditation Council. Wendy's PhD explored parents' decisions regarding paid work and care of the child. She has a wide range of expertise in research in early childhood education which includes pre-service teachers' attitudes and advocacy to long day care, early childhood education for sustainability and pre-service teachers' anxiety towards teaching mathematics.

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Tess Boyle has over twenty years of teaching experience in a variety of contexts spanning the early years of school to tertiary education. Tess's research is focussed on and grounded in curriculum development and pedagogy. Tess has co authored classroom textbooks and teacher resources in the areas of Mathematics, Science & Technology and Human Society & its Environment (HSIE), including the highly successful Science & Technology Today series. Tess's current research is focused on the transition of teacher education graduates into their profession and an investigation of the subsequent professional development choices they make in the early years of their career. Tess also has a keen interest in and passion for the Early Years of schooling.

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Professor Andrew Cashin is Professor of Nursing in the School of Health and Human Sciences at Southern Cross University. He is based at Lismore. Andrew is also Adjunct Professor of Nursing at Charles Darwin University and the University of Technology Sydney. He is a Fellow of the College of Nursing and The Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. He is a Foundation Fellow of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners. Andrew conducts a practice as Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in the Academic Health Centre at Southern Cross University. His clinical and research focus is working with people with autism and those who care for them. This includes individual Narrative Therapy with children and young people with autism and work with families, school and university staff. Andrew's research is focussed on development and evaluation of the intervention strategies.

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Dr Marilyn Chaseling is a Senior Lecturer, Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Education (Primary) in the School of Education. Marilyn's research interests focus on the creative arts, particularly music, and the ways in which both
curriculum and pedagogy have been approached over time in order to engage, stimulate and develop the potential of children and young people. Her doctoral thesis, titled 'Teaching Music in New South Wales Primary Schools: 1920-1956', pointed to a number of key historical issues that usefully inform contemporary classroom practice, namely the contribution of music to the development of children as 'good citizens'; the importance of strong leadership for music in schools by employing conscientious, inspirational music educators who can champion and develop a love of music in both children and teachers; the important role of pre-service teacher education and professional development in improving the confidence, disciplinary knowledge and skills of generalist teachers in and for music education; a music syllabus that recognises the creative potential of children and young people; and teachers who are able to convey to their students an evident and shared respect for music.

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Angela Coco is a senior lecturer in social sciences. Her interdisciplinary research explores issues of identity, community, power and gender in community and educational settings. She is currently developing research into the settlement of refugee families in the Northern Rivers and Mid-North Coast regions. As an experienced researcher into new forms of religiousness and spirituality she is keenly interested in the roles of religions and religiousness in this process. The broad research agenda focuses on issues of cultural understanding and families pathways to integration in Australian society, particularly the differential ways women, youth and men find direction in regional areas.

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Alexandra Cutcher is currently Lecturer in secondary education and visual arts education. Alexandra's current research interests lie with the uses of visual and performative modalities in teaching, research and its representation, professional development and classroom management.

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Mr Richard Harris is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Law and Justice and a founding member of the CCYP. Richard's interests centre on the ways in which children's lives are shaped by the law. Richard is also a member of the CCYP Advisory Board.

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Dr Karen Hawkins has recently completed her PhD with the University of Southern Queensland. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Special Needs Education and a Master of Education. Karen's research interests gravitate toward early childhood education, literacy, social justice, and spirituality and well being. Karen is currently the Early Career Researcher representative on the executive committee of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE). She has a deep respect for and interest in collaborative research methods as socially just modes of inquiry that uphold and value participant voice, knowledge, history and expertise. This respect and interest is mirrored in Karen's PhD research design which is underpinned by Participatory Action Research.

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Lesley Jones has worked in early childhood for some 23 years in a diverse range of practice positions. During her career in Centre based care Lesley has held senior management positions overseeing a professional staffing team of over 1800. Lesley was a senior lecturer in the early childhood program at Bond University and before moving to Southern Cross University and has also been principal of a Registered Training Organization in the vocational education sector.
Lesley's research interest include a co researcher role in a Transition to School project exploring a play based transition program for young children beginning their Kindergarten year in NSW schools. Further, Lesley's PhD research explores teacher perspectives of their capacity to teach for the imperatives of social competences in young children. This research explores teacher capacity across the range of service delivery models common to the Australian early childhood sector.

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Dr Karen Martin is an early career researcher having graduated with the James Cook University Medal for her dissertation. Her areas of expertise are: early childhood care and education; Aboriginal early childhood; Aboriginal worldview and knowledge and Aboriginal research (as a qualitative research paradigm). Karen has active networks both nationally and internationally and has received many invitations to undertake project work and to provide expert advice. Karen is a steering committee member of the Longitudinal Study

of Indigenous Children; the Worldvision Australia: Indigenous Advisory Group and the Indigenous Clearing House Board.

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Dr Elaine Nuske is a lecturer with the School of Arts and Social Science. A social worker prior to working at SCU, Elaine's research interests include out-of-home care, counselling children and young people, counsellor training and gambling related issues. Her PhD looked at the experiences of the biological children of families who fostered. An overriding commitment within all of Elaine's research is to provide opportunities for the voices of children and young people to be heard and valued as central to the research process.

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Dr Liz Reimer's research is positioned in the social sciences field of social welfare practice, policy and education. This includes building knowledge about how family-based practice enhances the wellbeing of children, young people and their families, and using this knowledge to influence social policy decisions and social welfare education curricula. My focus areas include family support, youth work, prevention and early intervention dimensions of the child wellbeing continuum, child neglect, and workforce issues such as professionalisation, the personal-professional nexus, and developing practice competence and wisdom in novice workers. Recent publication activities relate to aspects of the relationship in rural family services, including how relationships develop, how supervision and the work environment affect relationships, personalised ways of working in professional relationships, and the ongoing nature of such relationships. I will utilize and build on relationships developed throughout my practice and policy career with researchers, practitioners and policy makers, across Australia and internationally, in the field of child wellbeing.

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Dr Robert Smith's recent research has included a focus on young people who are the first in their families to attend university; and a collaborative project with the regional professional drama group, NORPA, to investigate the circumstances surrounding teenage involvement in road accidents.

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Dr Michelle Townsend has recently completed her PhD at the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University. Her doctoral thesis was titled: Are we Making the Grade? The Education of Children and Young People in Out-of-Home Care. This five year study focused on identifying the factors that facilitate and impede educational engagement and achievement by children in out-of-home care. The study sought to provide new insights into improving the educational engagement and outcomes of children in out-of-home care to assist policy-makers, practitioners, and carers in improving policy and practice responses. A number of reports and articles have been developed to support this aim. Michelle has over twenty years experience working with young people in a range of settings. Michelle's research interests lie in promoting the education and well-being of children and young people, particularly those who have been abused and neglected.

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