CCDE Annual Report 2012 - The Centre for Child Development ...

2012 Annual Report
www.ccde.menzies.edu.au

The Menzies School of Health Research was established in 1985 as a body
corporate of the Northern Territory Government under the Menzies School
of Health Research Act 1985. This Act was amended in 2004 to formalise
the relationship as a Controlled Entity of Charles Darwin University (CDU).
Menzies is now a major partner of CDU, but remains controlled by its own
Board, has its own financial and administrative structures, and can enter
into contracts in its own right.
© Menzies School of Health Research 2013
The material contained in this document is the
subject of copyright and/or privileged information.
Any use, disclosure (written or verbal), copying
or dissemination of this document is prohibited
without the written consent from the Menzies
School of Health Research.
ISBN: 978-1-922104-20-5 online
ISBN: 978-1-922104-21-2 paperback
In the spirit of respect, Menzies School of Health
Research acknowledges the people and elders of
the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations
who are the Traditional Owners of the land and
seas of Australia.

Table of Contents
Vision AND Strategic Plan...................................... 4
Message from the Director and Chair...................... 5
Centre Patrons................................................... 6
Board Members.................................................. 7
Research Highlights 2012
Child Development and Education Research............... 8
Indigenous Parenting and Family Research................ 10
Child Protection Research..................................... 12
Youth Health and Wellbeing Research...................... 14
Suicide Prevention Research.................................. 16
Publications...................................................... 18
Achievements AND Awards..................................... 21
Funders and Supporters....................................... 22
Staff................................................................ 23

OUR VISION AND PLAN
The Centre for Child Development and Education is situated within the
Child Health Research Division of the Menzies School of Health Research,
but has its own Director and Advisory Board. The Centre was launched
in September 2011, as a partnership between Menzies, Charles Darwin
University (CDU) and the Northern Territory Government (NTG).
VISION
Our vision is to position the Centre for Child Development and Education as a
centre of excellence and a national leader in innovative, trans-disciplinary
research that positively and practically improves children’s lives through
better health, education and wellbeing.
Purpose
Our purpose is to conduct collaborative, applied research which builds
scientific, policy and public understanding of how the development and
educational opportunities of Australian children - particularly Indigenous
children - can be improved to advance population health and community
wellbeing.
Strategic Plan
The CCDE Strategic Plan for 2011-13 identifies four strategic goals:
• Quality Research and Programs
• Research Capacity and Sustainability
• Relationships and Strategic Partnerships
• Establishing Identity and Impact.
4 The Centre for Child Development and Education

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
AND CHAIR
The Centre for Child Development and Education (CCDE) is well
advanced on its journey to becoming a national leader in the kind
of research which will improve the lives of vulnerable young people
across the country.
The Centre was officially launched in September 2011. Wonderful
support from organisations like the Ian Potter Foundation and the
Sidney Myer Fund has enabled us to build the foundations for a
productive future.
In May of 2012, Indigenous musician and educator, Dr M Yunupingu,
and British Medical Association president, Professor Sir Michael
Marmot, both agreed to become patrons of the Centre. It was an
honour for us to gain the patronage of two giants in their respective
fields.
Centre Director
Professor Sven Silburn
It was therefore with great sadness that in early June this year we
learned that Dr Yunupingu had passed away at age 56 at his home
in Yirrkala after his long battle with kidney disease. In addition to
his world-wide fame as a musician and founder of Yothu-Yindi, he
was an inspiring community leader, and a distinguished educator.
Dr Yunupingu was also a passionate advocate of ‘Two-way’ learning
and a tireless champion of national reconciliation. The achievements
of this great Australian will continue to inspire our work in seeking
to ’Close the Gap’ in Indigenous disadvantage.
The federal government will this year commence its investment of
$3.5 billion dollars over 10 years in its Stronger Futures initiative to
improve the circumstances of Aboriginal people in the Northern
Territory. This is likely to offer new opportunities for Menzies,
and for the Centre in particular, to support communities in their
implementation of evidence-based programs and services which
will improve lives for Aboriginal children and young people.
Board Chair
Dr Chris Sarra
It is widely understood that education and early child development
are the keys to a brighter future for Indigenous Australians. The
Centre is well placed to continue its progress in leading the research
which will unlock opportunities for educational development and
create a pathway for a healthier, happier tomorrow for Indigenous
Australian children.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge our gratitude to the Centre’s
board members for their guidance, and to our staff for their skill and
dedication.
Annual Report 2012
5

Our Patrons
Dr M Yunupingu, the 1992 Australian of the Year, was a distinguished performer
and teacher. As a songwriter and musician he brought contemporary Aboriginal
culture to the world with the Yothu Yindi band. Dr Yunupingu was also the first
Indigenous principal of Yirrkala Community School, and a pioneer of ‘Twoway
learning’. Dr Yunupingu’s passing in June of 2013 was a great loss to his
community and to the nation.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot is president of the British Medical Association
and chair of the World Health Organisation’s European Review of action to
address health inequities. He was knighted in 2000 for his pioneering work in
epidemiology and in understanding health inequalities.
“Dr Yunupingu was an educator and community leader of the highest calibre.
He brought deep knowledge and keen insight to the challenge of improving
the provision of health and education services for Indigenous Australians.
His memory will continue to inspire the work of staff and students at Menzies
generally, and at CCDE in particular.”
“Professor Marmot is a leading scientist, who will help the Centre link with
some of the world’s best minds to develop solutions for the challenges the
Northern Territory faces in health and education.”
Dr M Yunupingu (centre) with
Professor Sir Michael Marmot
(right) and CCDE Director,
Professor Sven Silburn (left)
“It is humbling that two men of this quality agreed to lend their names to the
work of the Centre for Child Development and Education.”
Professor Sven Silburn, Director CCDE
6 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Our Board
Members
Dr Chris Sarra
Chair, Centre for Child Development and Education Board
Professor Sven Silburn
Director, Centre for Child Development and Education
Professor Jonathan Carapetis
Director, Menzies School of Health Research
Professor Sharon Bell
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Charles Darwin University
Mr Gary Barnes
CEO, Department of Education and Training
Professor John Mathews
AM Executive Director, Menzies Foundation
Professor Tom Healy
AO Governor, Ian Potter Foundation
Associate Professor Tess Lea
Department of Gender and Cultural Studies, University of Sydney
Professor Collette Tayler
Chair, Early Childhood Education and Care, Melbourne Graduate School of
Education
Professor Paul Torzillo
Medical Director, Nganampa Health Council, University of Sydney
Ms Gurruwun Yunupingu
Teacher, Activist for Two-way learning
Mr David Shinkfield
Principal, Kormilda College
Ms Sue Beynon
Principal, Gray Primary School
Clare Gardiner Barnes
NTG Office of Children and Families
Annual Report 2012
7

Child Development and
Education Research
The Child Development and Education research stream at CCDE looks at the broad
field of developmental health, particularly as it relates to brain development and
early education. Growing bodies of evidence in recent years have shown that
both ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ in the earliest years of life significantly influence brain
development and the wiring of neural pathways that have broad ranging impacts
across the entire lifespan. It follows then, that good early child development
programs can vastly improve outcomes for children’s behaviour, learning and
health in later life, leading to enhanced overall life opportunities and outcomes.
8 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Research Highlights
CHILD DEVelopment AND EDUcation RESEARCH
Strong Start-Bright Futures (SSBF) evaluation concludes
The Centre’s $2.5m research partnership with the NT Department
of Education and Children’s Services (2009-2013) has enabled the
collaborative evaluation of the first stage of the implementation of this
extended service model of schooling in eight remote NT communities. The
SSBF ‘College’ model included provision of the school-based early years
program Families as First Teachers; increased support and training for
school leadership teams; building school-community partnerships; and
developing links with local industries and employers to support vocational
education in schools and pathways into employment. The evaluation has
shown some positive results in school attendance, particularly for children
whose parents participated in the Families as First Teachers program. The
improved support for school leadership teams and processes for recruiting,
selecting and supporting teaching staff has also helped reduce the rate of
teacher turn-over in remote schools.
Science of Learning Research Centre
Prof Sven Silburn was one of the 22 Chief Investigators in a national
research consortium recently awarded a $16m ARC grant for the
establishment of a Science of Learning Research Centre. This will enable
CCDE researchers to collaborate with Prof Collette Tayler at the University
of Melbourne in conducting the Indigenous education component of this
national collaborative research program.
It will also fund a post-doctoral fellowship for Dr Helen Harper
(Indigenous educator and linguist) to continue her classroom based
research on effective pedagogical strategies with Indigenous students in
remote communities.
How Early Life Conditions Affect the Development and
Learning Outcomes: A Whole of Population Data-Linkage Study
The Centre has partnered with the NT Department of Health and the SANT-
Datalink Consortium in conducting a demonstration study using the newly
established facility for confidential linkage of data drawn from separate
administrative datasets. This is investigating how early life biological
and social factors shape children’s readiness for learning at school, and
subsequent school learning and behaviour outcomes. We are currently
analysing selected information on over 45,000 NT-born children drawn
from their birth, peri-natal, child health, Australian Early Development
Index (AEDI) and NAPLAN records.
The first study outputs are providing policy-relevant information on the
relative importance of various early life factors on children’s longerterm
pathways of development and learning. The data systems and
analytical capacity developed through the project will enable new ways of
monitoring population outcomes of policies and programs such as those
about to be implemented through the Stronger Futures Strategy.
Annual Report 2012
9

Indigenous Parenting and
Family Research
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are among the most
disadvantaged in Australian society, with Indigenous children significantly more
vulnerable to a range of adverse life outcomes stemming from this disadvantage.
Parenting skills and a variety of family risk factors are influenced by the effects
of disadvantage, meaning that Indigenous children are more likely to miss out
on the crucial early childhood development opportunities that are required
for positive social, educational, health and employment outcomes later in life.
The Indigenous Parenting and Family Research team works to discover the most
effective ways to help Indigenous parents, children and families get the best start
in the early years, promoting positive developmental health outcomes.
10 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Research Highlights
Indigenous Parenting and Family Research
The Indigenous Parenting and Family Research program is building a body
of interdisciplinary research that focuses on the interests and needs of
Indigenous parents, children and families of the Northern Territory (NT).
It includes intervention research, program implementation, resource
development and translation of research into practice.
The program’s major project is the Let’s Start Parent-Child Program, a
therapeutically oriented group parenting program that supports children’s
social-emotional development during the transition to school. Developed
and evaluated over 10 years, Let’s Start is the only parenting program
specifically developed for Aboriginal parents and families with evidence
for its effectiveness. It is responsive, has an integrated focus on child
development, early learning, parenting and the emotional and mental
wellbeing of parent and child. It is currently delivered in eight rural and
remote communities of the NT, with expressions of interest received across
north and central Australia.
The research program is now being extended to include:
• Let’s Start Early: an early intervention program for parents with
infants and toddlers
• Watch Us Grow: school-based early intervention for children in
primary and middle school
• Let’s Start Interactive Workshops: to build the skills and capacity of
parents and providers in remote and rural communities
• A new program of observational research focusing on parent-child
interaction: investigation of links between Indigenous parenting
styles and children’s behaviours
• Resource development and translation: materials, manuals, training
and guidelines for supervision to support implementation of Let’s
Start in diverse community settings
• Development of educational materials and training resources
focusing on (a) Indigenous parenting (b) parent-child interaction
(c) attachment and child development, and (d) therapeutic practice
with Indigenous families with complex needs. These resources are
designed for dissemination within the Indigenous workforce in child
protection, mental health, early education and community services.
Annual Report 2012
11

Child Protection Research
The Child Protection Research Program (CPRP) is focused on driving the
implementation of evidence-based interventions for children and families who
are at risk, working across the government, non-government and community
sectors. Rather than follow more traditional child protection methods which tend
to involve crisis management and interventions ‘after the fact’, the CPRP is very
much committed to identifying effective and culturally appropriate preventative
and early intervention methods that work to stop child abuse or neglect from
taking place to begin with.
12 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Research Highlights
Child Protection Research
CCDE’s Child Protection Research Program (CPRP) aims to better understand
how to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of children in the
Northern Territory (NT). Informed by international and national research,
the specialist CPRP team is building a local evidence base to improve policy
and practice across the children and families service system. This service
system includes a range of Aboriginal, statutory and non-government
organisations delivering early intervention, child protection and out-ofhome
care programs and services to vulnerable children. To effectively
support these children, we must also support parents, carers, extended
family, kinship groups, broader communities and practitioners. With a
high number of Aboriginal children entering the child protection system,
the program has a particular focus on developing and implementing
culturally responsive strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Established as a partnership with the NT Government, in 2012 the program
completed a number of important research projects for the NT Office for
Children and Families (OCF). The scope of the program was expanded to
work with a range of Aboriginal and non-government organisations.
Projects included:
• Implementation support and preliminary evaluation of a Family
Group Conferencing model for Aboriginal children
• Literature review of Men’s Places focusing on the prevention and
responses to family violence with a focus on engaging Aboriginal
men in remote communities
• Social marketing and community education campaign to prevent
child abuse and neglect in the NT-consortium partnership with
Strong Aboriginal Families, Together (SAF,T), the NT peak body for
Aboriginal children and families: Exploring bicultural practice in the
NT children and families sector
• Consultancy for Relationships Australia NT to evaluate the Holding
Children Together Model, a therapeutic counselling model for
Aboriginal children
• Clinical consultancy to provide professional development, reflective
and complex case supervision to therapeutic services, practice
advisors and team leaders within NT OCF.
Annual Report 2012
13

Youth Health and
Wellbeing Research
Specialising in supporting young people’s health and wellbeing, the YH&WB
Section of CCDE covers a wide range of community-focused, youth-developing
fields of interest: from research into youth wellbeing in schools, through to
youth justice and community care developments, issues affecting gender and
sexuality, to applications of new media in young people’s lives. The emphasis
is on empowering young people and their communities to support strengthsbased
developments in partnership with elders and adult mentors. The research
approaches use mixed methodologies to involve young people wherever
feasible, and to encourage them to consider research pathways as possible future
vocational choices. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods
brings together the strongest evidence for improving support for young people
and their communities across the Northern Territory and the Asia Pacific region.
14 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Research Highlights
Youth Health and Wellbeing Research
In 2011-2012 the Youth Health team strengthened and consolidated their
focus on Indigenous youth health and wellbeing, undertaking projects
exploring sexual health, youth diversion, and the social determinants of
youth health. This focus was greatly facilitated by the award of an ARC
Future Fellowship to Associate Professor Kate Senior in July 2012.
This period was characterised by intensive community-based research,
with researchers working in communities across the Northern Territory (NT),
as well as Western Australia and South Australia. This work has resulted
in a deep and nuanced understanding of the lives of Indigenous young
people. We have been able to translate these research findings to key
stakeholders from both government and non-government organisations.
Our academic outputs have included publications in international journals,
presentations at conferences, and the delivery of guest lectures and
workshops, both in Australia and internationally. We also participated in
the first NT Youth Conference. The team has made it a priority to involve
young people in our research and build their capacity as researchers.
Throughout 2012, we placed a particular focus on building the research
skills of young people in remote communities.
We have continued to attract high quality postgraduate students, with
eight students currently engaged in projects related to youth health and
wellbeing. These studies are being undertaken across a diverse range
of fields, including youth engagement in social media, the effects of
music participation on wellbeing, and young women’s lives in remote
Indigenous communities.
On the basis of our reputation in youth research, we were asked to develop
a research collaboration with the University of Battambang in Cambodia
to explore the lives, health and wellbeing of the adolescent population,
again with an emphasis on building the research skills of local young
people. This project was successfully trialled at the end of 2012 and will
continue through 2013.
Annual Report 2012
15

Suicide Prevention Research
The Suicide Prevention Research Program spans epidemiological research into
the causes of suicide and the distribution of suicide risk factors across the NT,
through to intervention research involving the implementation and evaluation of
preventive strategies in different contexts. Suicide prevention involves work across
all sectors of government and the community; child protection, community justice
and education, mental health and the community sector. We are particularly
interested in research and interventions dealing with the early life determinants of
suicide, and work in partnership with researchers in the other CCDE program areas
who are concerned with youth, parenting, children and families, and their social
and emotional wellbeing.
16 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Research Highlights
Suicide Prevention Research
Of all Australian states and territories, the Northern Territory has the
highest overall rate of suicide, with very high rates of suicide among the
Indigenous population. The Suicide Prevention Research Program has
grown rapidly. Its aim is to provide a comprehensive research response
to the urgent problems of suicide and self-harm in NT communities,
and to have an impact on policy and on the development of suicide
prevention strategies. Promoting early intervention and prevention,
which targets the life course determinants of vulnerability to suicide from
early childhood through to young adulthood, is a particular focus.
A research team led by researchers from Menzies’ CCDE recently conducted
national consultations in each state and territory on behalf of the
Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to develop
a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention
Strategy. A report and a draft of the National Strategy are now with the
department, and a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide
Prevention Strategy will be released for implementation in 2013.
The Centre won a $615,000 DoHA tender in June 2012 to conduct a systematic
review of the available literature, prepare and publish two discussion
papers, and undertake a national consultation process supported by the
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NAACHO).
This involved the centre developing a consultation website and convening
and facilitating consultation forums in all capital cities and several regional
centres attended by over 500 people. An initial draft of a proposed
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy
was then prepared and reviewed at a one day national stakeholder
forum in Canberra. Following DoHA approval the National Strategy was
launched jointly by the Federal Minister for Health (Hon Mark Butler) and
the Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Hon Warren Snowdon) with an
announcement of $17.8 million of new funding for its implementation over
three years, including the establishment of a national centre of excellence
to support community-based Indigenous suicide prevention initiatives.
Projects include:
1. A Study of Suicide Deaths of NT Children from 2006-2010,
commissioned by the NT Government’s Child Deaths Review
and Prevention Committee, completed in January 2012
2. A study of medically serious self-harm in NT hospitals (funded by
beyondblue inc. and the NT Department of Health, 2013-2014)
3. Evaluating the ‘Counterpunch Program’, a sports (boxing)-based
suicide prevention initiative for disengaged secondary school students
(funded by the Mental Health Branch of the NT Department of Health)
4. Investigation of the early life determinants of suicide and self-harm
and the development of effective early intervention strategies
5. Effective early intervention for secondary school aged
youth through the development of life skills and support
during the transition from school to work.
Annual Report 2012
17

PUBLICATIONS
Arney, F. & Westby, M.A. (2012). Men’s Places Literature
Review. Darwin: The Centre for Child Development and
Education, Menzies School of Health Research.
Brinkman, S., Gialamas, A., Rahman, A., Mittinty, M.,
Gregory, T., Silburn, S.R., et al. (2012). Jurisdictional,
socioeconomic and gender inequalities in child health
and development: analysis of a national census of
5-year-olds in Australia, BMJ Open, 2(5), 1-14.
Carapetis, J. & Silburn, S. (2011). Key factors influencing
educational outcomes for Indigenous students and
their implications for planning and practice in the NT,
ACER Research Conference, Darwin Convention Centre,
7–9 August 2011.
Chenall R., Senior, K.A. & Belton, S. (2011).
Negotiating Human Research Ethics: Case notes from
anthropologists in the field, Anthropology Today,
27(5), 13-17.
Chenall, R., Holmes, C., Lea, T., Senior, K. & Wegner,
A. (2011). Parent-school engagement: Exploring the
concept of ‘invisible’ Indigenous parents in three
North Australian school communities. Darwin: The
Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University.
Chenhall, R. & Senior, K. (2012). Treating Indigenous
Australians with Alcohol/Drug Problems: Assessing
Quality of Life, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 30(2),
130-145.
Chenhall, R.D., Senior, K., Cole, D., Cunningham, T. &
O’Boyle, C. (2010). Individual quality of life among at
risk Indigenous youth in Australia, Applied Research in
Quality of Life, 5(3), 171-183.
Cotter, P., Condon, J., Barnes, T., Anderson, I., Smith,
L. & Cunningham, T. (2012). Do Indigenous Australians
age prematurely? The implications of life expectancy
and health conditions of older Indigenous people for
health and aged care policy, Australian Health Review,
36(1), 68-74.
D’Aprano, A.L., Carapetis, J.R. & Andrews, R. (2011).
Trial of a developmental screening tool in remote
Australian Aboriginal communities: A cautionary tale,
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 47(1-2), 12-17.
Davison, B., Cunningham, T. & Singh, G. (2011).
Engaging Adolescents and Young Adults in a
longitudinal health study: Experience from the Top
End Cohort, Australian Journal of Public Health, 35(1),
86-87.
Dudley, M., Steel, Z., Mares, S. & Newman, L. (2012).
Children and young people in immigration detention,
Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 25(4), 285-292.
Halkitis, K., Wegner, A. & Cunningham, T. (2011). Social
Capital Creation in Short Timeframes and its Role in
Knowledge Sharing, The International Journal of
Management and Business, 2(1), 82-95.
Harper, H. & Helmer, J. (2011). ABRACADABRA! Early
Childhood Literacy Project. Darwin, NT: Menzies School
of Health Research.
Harper, H.A. (2012). Teachers’ emotional responses
to new pedagogical tools in high challenge settings:
illustrations from the Northern Territory, The Australian
Educational Researcher, 39(4), 447-461.
Harper, H.A., Helmer, J., Lea, T., Chalkiti., K, Emmett,
S. & Wolgemuth, J. (2012). ABRACADABRA for magic
under which conditions? Case studies of a webbased
literacy intervention in the Northern Territory,
Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 35(1),
33-50.
Helmer, J., Bartlett, C., Wolgemuth, J.R. & Lea, T.
(2011). Coaching (and) commitment: Linking ongoing
professional development, quality teaching and
student outcomes, Professional Development in
Education, 37(2), 197-211.
Jorgensen, R. & Perso, T. (2012). Equity and the
Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. In B. Atweh,
M. Goos, R. Jorgensen & D. Siemon (Eds), Engaging
the Australian National Curriculum: Mathematics
– Perspectives from the Field (pp. 115‐133). Online
Publication: Mathematics Education Research Group of
Australasia.
Kowalenko, N., Mares, S., Newman, L., Sved Williams,
A., Powrie, R. & Van Doesum, K. (2012). Family matters:
infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers of parents affected
by mental illness. MJA Open, 1(Suppl 1), 14-17.
18 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Louise, S., Warrington, N., McCaskie, P., Oddy, W.,
Zubrick, S., Hands, B., Mori, T., Briollais, L., Silburn,
S.R., et al. (2012). Associations between aggressive
behaviour scores and cardiovascular risk factors in
childhood, Pediatric Obesity, 7(4), 319-328.
Louise, S., Warrington, N.M., McCaskie, P.A., Oddy,
W.H., Zubrick, S.R., Hands, B., Mori, T.A., Briollais,
L., Silburn, S., et al. (2012). Associations between
anxious-depressed symptoms and cardiovascular risk
factors in a longitudinal childhood study, Preventive
Medicine, 54(5), 345-350.
Mares, S. & Graff-Martins, A.S. (2012). The clinical
assessment of infants, preschoolers and their families:
Parenting capacity. In Rey JM (ed), IACAPAP e-Textbook
of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (pp. 1-22).
Geneva: International Association for Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions.
Mares, S. & Jureidini, J. (2012). Child and adolescent
refugees and asylum seekers. In M. Dudley, D. Silove
& F. Gale (Eds), Mental Health and Human Rights (pp.
403-414). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mares, S. (2010). Home is where we start from: early
experience, play and creative living, ATTACHMENT:
New Directions in Psychotherapy and Relational
Psychoanalysis, 4, 216–231.
Mares, S. (2012). The School Age Child. In Newman L &
Mares S (Eds), Contemporary Approaches to Infant and
Child Mental Health (pp. 105-111). Melbourne: IP Press.
Mares, S. (2012).Disruptive Behaviour and Aggression –
Complex presentations associated with early trauma.
In L. Newman L & S. Mares (Eds), Contemporary
Approaches to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,
volume 2 (pp. 160-179). East Hawthorn, Victoria: IP
Press.
Mares, S. Newman, L. & Warren, B. (2011). Clinical
Skills in Infant Mental Health: The First Three Years.
Camberwell, Vic: ACER Press.
Mares, S.P. & Robinson, G.W. (2012). Culture, context
and therapeutic processes: delivering a parent-child
intervention in a remote Aboriginal community,
Australasian Psychiatry: bulletin of The Royal
Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists,
20(2), 102-107.
McTurk, N.J., Robinson, G.W., Lea, T.S., Nutton, G.
& Carapetis, J.R. (2011). Defining and assessing the
school readiness of Australian Indigenous children.
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 36(1), 69-76.
Nixon, M. (2012). Ethics [Response to Chenhall, Senior
and Belton, AT 27 (5)], Anthropology Today, 28(4),
26-27.
Oddy, W. H., Hickling, S., Smith, M. A., O’Sullivan,
T.A., Robinson, M., de Klerk, N.H., Beilin, L. J., Mori,
T.A., Syrette, J., Zubrick, S.R. & Silburn, S.R. (2011).
Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids and risk of
depressive symptoms in adolescents. Depression and
Anxiety, 28(7), 582–588.
Oddy, W., Hickling, S., Smith, M., O’Sullivan, T.,
Robinson, M., de Klerk, N., Beilin, L., Mori, T., Syrette,
J., Zubrick, S. & Silburn, S.R. (2011). Dietary intake of
omega-3 fatty acids and risk of depressive symptoms in
adolescents, Depression and Anxiety (Hoboken), 28(7),
582-588.
Perso, T. (2011). Assessing numeracy and NAPLAN,
Australian Mathematics Teacher, 67(4), 32.
Perso, T., Kenyon, P. & Darrough, N. (2012).
Transitioning Indigenous Students to Western
Schooling: A culturally Responsive Program, 17th
Annual Values and Leadership Conference 2012,
Australian Catholic University, 1-2 October 2012.
Perso, T.F. (2012). Cultural Responsiveness and School
Education: With particular focus on Australia’s First
Peoples: A Review & Synthesis of the Literature.
Darwin NT: The Centre for Child Development and
Education, Menzies School of Health Research.
Roberts, C., Williams, R., Kane, R., Pintabona, Y.,
Cross, D., Zubrick, S. & Silburn, S.R. (2011). Impact of a
mental health promotion program on substance use in
young adolescents, Advances in Mental Health, 10(1),
69-79.
Robinson, G. (2012). The State, Cultural Competence
and Child Development: Perspectives on Intervention
in the North of Australia, Young Lives, Changing Times:
perspectives on social reproduction, University of
Sydney, 8–9 June 2012.
Annual Report 2012
19

Robinson, G., Mares, S., Jones, Y, Stock, C.,
Hallenstein, B. & Branchut, V. (2012). The Let’s Start
Parent Child Program: Information Paper. Darwin:
Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies
School of Health Research.
Robinson, G., Silburn, S. & Leckning, B. (2012).
Suicide of Children and Youth in the NT, 2006-2010:
Public Release Report for the Child Deaths Review
and Prevention Committee. Darwin: Centre for Child
Development and Education, Menzies School of Health
Research.
Robinson, G., Silburn, S., Arney, F. & Gawa, L. (2010).
Effective Integration of Services for Children and
Families: Making it happen, Symposium Report.
Darwin NT: Menzies School of Health Research
Robinson, G.W., Tyler, W.B., Jones, Y.M., Silburn, S.R.
& Zubrick, S. (2011). Context, Diversity and Engagement:
Early intervention with Australian Aboriginal families
in urban and remote contexts. Children and Society,
26(5), 343-355.
Robinson, G.W., Tyler, W.B., Silburn, S.R. & Zubrick,
S. (2012). Gender, Culture and Intervention: Exploring
Differences between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal
Children’s Responses to an Early Intervention
Programme, Children and Society, [e-pub ahead of
print].
Robinson, M., Kendall, G.E., Jacoby, P., Hands,
B., Beilin, L.J., Silburn, S.R., Zubrick, S.R. & Oddy,
W.H. (2011). Lifestyle and demographic correlates of
poor mental health in early adolescence, Journal of
Paediatrics and Child Health, 47(1-2), 54-61.
Rysavy, P., Cunningham, T. & O’Reilly-Martinez, R.
(2011). Preliminary analysis of the Northern Territory’s
illicit drug court diversion program highlights the
need to examine lower program completion rates for
indigenous clients, Drug and Alcohol Review, 30(6),
671-676.
Senior, K. & Chenhall, R. (2012). Boyfriends, babies
and basketball: present lives and future aspirations
of young women in a remote Aboriginal Australian
community, Journal of Youth Studies 15(3), 369-388.
Silburn, S.R., Nutton, G., McKenzie, J.W., & Landrigan,
M. (2011). Early years English language acquisition
and instructional approaches for Aboriginal
students with home languages other than English:
A systematic review. Darwin NT: Menzies School of
Health Research.
Stock, C., Mares, S. & Robinson, G. (2012). Telling and
re-telling stories: The use of narrative and drawing
in a group intervention with parents and children in
a remote aboriginal community, Australian and New
Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 33(2), 157-170.
Tucker, R. & Mares, S. (2012). Establishing a mental
health service for young children in out-of-home
care: The Gumnut Clinic for 0 to 5 year olds in Western
Sydney, Children and Youth Services Review, 35(2),
205-212.
Tyler, B., Rolls, N., Bridgeman, S. & Flack, M. (2011).
Common Unit Monitoring Project: first year student
progress and the success of the Common Unit
Program. Darwin NT: Charles Darwin University.
Warren, B. & Mares, S. (2009). Developing reflective
process skills in IMH postgraduate students: The
Australian Experience, Infant Mental Health Journal,
30(6), 621-633.
Wolgemuth, J., Savage, R., Helmer, J., Lea, T.,
Harper, H., Chalkiti, K., Bottrell, C. & Abrami, P.
(2011). Using computer-based instruction to improve
Indigenous early literacy in Northern Australia: A
quasi-experimental study, Australasian Journal of
Educational Technology, 27(4), 727-750.
Zubrick, S., Mitrou, F., Lawrence, D. & Silburn, S.R.
(2011). Maternal death and the onward psychosocial
circumstances of Australian Aboriginal children and
young people, Psychological Medicine, 41(9), 1971-
1980.
20 The Centre for Child Development and Education

Achievements and Awards
Professor Sven Silburn, Bonnie Moss and former staff
member, Anne Hanning received the McArthur River
Mining Indigenous Innovation Award as part of the
NT Research and Innovation Awards for the cultural
adaptation of the Australian Early Development Index
(AEDI) for use with Indigenous children.
Yomei Jones was awarded the 2012 Ryan Family Prize,
which recognises excellence from a staff member, for
her outstanding contributions to several high profile
Menzies’ research projects including Let’s Start.
Dr Kate Senior was awarded an Australian Research
Council Future Fellowship to study health and
wellbeing among Indigenous adolescents in the NT.
Higher Degree Research
The Centre is proud to have a number of PhD and
Master’s students being supervised by our researchers.
This is a practical demonstration of our commitment to
developing research expertise in the Northern Territory.
Anita D’Aprano-PhD- TRAK Study: Talking
about raising Aboriginal kids. An evaluation
of an early childhood training intervention for
remote Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs)
Brooke Barnett -PhD- Music as a transforming
tool for adolescent health and wellbeing
Claire Bartlett -PhD- Lessons learned from the
implementation of the national accelerated literacy
program; a case study on educational reform in the NT
Estella Ega -PhD- Who speaks for me? Who
listens anyway? Factors affecting responses
to social research in Indigenous Australians
and African migrants’ communities. Case
studies of Australia’s Northern Territory
Gokula Chandran -PhD- Neighbourhoods,
environments and development of children in the NT
Helen Thompson -PhD- Parent and school
staff attitudes to parent engagement
Julie Fraser -Master by Research- Dhunupa
Dhawu: Enhancing strengths, researching with
the community in Gapuwiyak to develop a greater
understanding of family and community perspectives
on education and how the process of partnership
with the school can be realised and maintained
Kate McGuinness -PhD- Bicultural models of practice
in the Northern Territory children and families sector
Kishan Kariippanon -PhD- Youth Health 2.0:
The interplay between social media, mobile
phones and Yolngu youth in Yirrkala
Rachael McMahon -PhD- Measuring the
unmeasurable: an ethnography in the context
of multicultural project implementation,
evaluation and justification
Santie Du Plessis - PhD- Adaptive
behaviour assessment system-Indigenous
Australian Adaptation Model
Shirley Nirrpurranydji -Master by Research-
Ngalapalmirr ga djamarrkuli Gapuwiyakpuy, nhaltjan
nguli ga limurr dhamanapanmirr ga galkithirr wukirrilil
(Dhunupa Dhawu: Enhancing strengths, researching
with the community in Gapuwiyak to develop a greater
understanding of family and community perspectives
on education and how the process of partnership
with the school can be realised and maintained)
Sue Edwards -Master by Research-
Psycho-educational assessment of remote
Indigenous students in the Northern Territory
Susan McMullen -PhD- Growing up fast in Borroloolayoung
Indigenous women’s experience of relationships
and sexual health in a remote Aboriginal community.
Annual Report 2012
21

Our Funders and Supporters 2012
The Centre relies on the generous support of our
sponsors as we conduct the research which will help
to improve the lives of Australia’s children. We would
like to take this opportunity to formally acknowledge
these contributions in 2012.
Infrastructure
The Ian Potter Foundation $500,000
Sidney Myer Fund $200,000
NT Govt (DoH,DECS, and OCF) $192,218
Infrastructure Total $892,218
Contract Research Total $2,371,361
Competitive Grants Total $337,722
Grand Total $3,601,301
In-kind Funding 2012
Institution Purpose Approx $ value
Menzies School of Health Accommodation and utilities for 30 staff at Menzies’ proposed $ 1,200,000
Research
new building at CDU
Senior staff time $ 25,000
Northern Territory
Government
Senior DET officer seconded to Menzies CCDE $ 130,000
Charles Darwin
University
Transfer of the Abracadabra project (Reinforcing foundation
literacy skills through technology) from SSPR to Menzies CCDE
$ 213,000
TOTAL $ 1,568,000
22 The Centre for Child Development and Education

All Staff
Thanks to all the dedicated members of staff who have contributed to the success of
the Centre for Child Development and Education…
ARNEY, Fiona Marie
BAUTISTA, Bettina
BELL, Johanna
BORELLA, Dianne
BRANCHUT, Virginie
BROOKE, Sarah
CARROLL, Jacqueline
CHESSEL, Sally
CLANCY, Celeste
COLEMAN, Shelley
CRAIG, Kathleen
CUNNINGHAM, Teresa
DANIELS, Olga
D’APRANO, Anita
DEMETRIOS, Stephanie
DUFFIELD, Rebecca
DUNN, Kinara
EGA, Estella
FITZ, Joseph
FRASER, Julie
GAWA, Lydia
HALLENSTEIN, Birgit
HAMMOND, Elizabeth
HANNING, Anne
HARPER, Helen
HELMER, Janet
HENDERSON, Alice
HODGSON, Rickeisha
JONES, Yomei
KARIIPPANON, Kishan
LAWRANCE, Megan
LECKNING, Bernard
LEXIE KUNGLUNG, Jacinta
LLOYD, Robbie
LONERGAN, Katrina
MACKLEY, Cherie
MARES, Sarah
MARRAR, Mary-Jo
MCDONALD, Tina
MCGUINNESS, Katherine
MCKENZIE, John
MCMAHON, Rachael
MOSS, Bonita
MOYLE, Tracey
NADJALABURRNBURRN, Cheryl
NADJALABURRNBURRN, Frank Maraboone
NICHOLLS-SKENE, Raquel
NIRRPURRANYDUI, Shirley
NUTTON, Georgie
NUTTON, Laura
ORTIZ, Blanca
PAVA IMITOLA, Zuleima
PEARSE, Tiffanie
PERSO, Thelma
PURUNTATAMERRI, Kayleen
RING, Graham
ROBINSON, Gary
SALVERON, Mary
SENIOR, Kate
SILBURN, Sven
SIMONETTO, Louise
SMITH, James
SINGLETON, Jess
STOCK, Carolin
TIPUNGWUTI, Roger
WESTBY, Mark
WOODY, Michelle
YUNUPINGU, Gurruwun

The Centre for Child Development and Education
PO BOX 41096
Casuarina NT 0801
Australia
Phone: 08 8922 8196
Fax: 08 8927 5187
Email: adminccde@menzies.edu.au
Website: www.ccde.menzies.edu.au
Acknowledgements: Published in August 2013, this Annual Report
was produced by the Centre for Child Development and Education of
the Menzies School of Health Research with input and much welcomed
assistance from the staff and students of Menzies.
Project management: Graham Ring
Design and layout: Dreamedia
Photography: Kara Burns and Menzies staff
Printing: Uniprint NT