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CRF Grows International Ties

Building the future with healthy minds

CRF invites research applications for the 2011 grant period

(30 March 2010) CRF Grows International Ties

When American researchers Professor Beatrice L Wood PhD, and Professor Bruce D Miller MD, heard about the research supported by the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation and the Foundation’s nurturing of young talent, they were impressed and keen to start an inter-cultural collaboration with junior investigators in Australia.

As Professors of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the State University of New York, Buffalo, they specialise in researching the fields of family relational stress, child depression and paediatric asthma.

With their extensive experience in medicine, child health and research, Professors Wood and Miller are acutely aware of the need for research opportunities for young graduates and first time researchers, and have kindly offered their support for emerging researchers in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Donating their time and sharing their expertise, they are looking for interesting and potentially important collaborations with other researchers, and would like to encourage young researchers to get in touch with them, with a view to providing mentoring to those interested in leading their own research project.

For the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, this international recognition is a great honour, and we encourage our talented, upcoming researchers and graduates to tap into this wealth of knowledge, to help create the best possible future for our children.

If you have just started your first research project as a lead investigator, or are interested in doing so and would like to take advantage of this excellent opportunity, please forward your details via email to bwood@buffalo.edu with Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation in the subject line.

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(26 February 2010) Building the future with healthy minds

Preschoolers from South Australia were part of a PhD project which identified that healthy relationships during
preschool have a strong link to mental health and the way children engage in learning.

Previous early childhood research has examined relationships
in preschools but has never examined the notion that relationships benefit engagement in learning because of their positive effects on mental health.

PhD student from the University of Adelaide, Amelia Searle, pictured, says the results validate what teachers have
always known intuitively.

‘‘Teachers have known for a long time that building good relationships with children is central to their school success and the research does show that, but we were really looking at exactly how it all plays out - the pathways that are involved,’’ she said.

‘‘The relationships with their teachers and their parents which we found built children’s self esteem and their feelings of competence led to improved mental health and improved engagement in classroom learning activities.’’

This project was part of a larger, longitudinal study called
the Healthy Minds Healthy Futures Child Resilience Project,
which followed nearly 600 children for three years from preschool to Year One.

Led by Dr Lauren Miller- Lewis, the Healthy Minds project focuses on identifying factors that build children’s mental
health resilience. The PhD study focused on children’s engagement in classroom learning activities during reception.

The study used observation methods in the schools, data collection via questionaires from parents and staff. Ms Searle said many of the preschool teachers reported on the importance of building up, developing and supporting close relationships with children.

‘‘It’s something that perhaps is easier to do in a preschool
setting given that the ratio between children and teachers is
much lower than in schools.

‘‘The earlier that we help children out and we build on their strengths - the better the start to school we can give them.’’

The research was presented at the 14th European Conference
on Developmental Psychology in Lithuania and the 16th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Human Development Association in Adelaide.

Ms Searle said traditional research focussed on ‘‘deficits and problems’’ but her research is based on resources such as teacher, child and parent relationships which can improve
the school experience. Twentyseven preschools and 85 schools across the country took part.

The project was supported by the Department of Education
and Children’s Services, Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Rotary Health and the University of Adelaide.

Christies North Kindergarten director Tania Liston
working with preschoolers

Christies North Kindy Preschool director Tania Liston couldn’t be happier with the findings from the PhD research.
She says a strong relationship between the teacher, children and parents must be built on trust for any learning to occur.

‘‘It is something that early childhood educators have always been a part of, but I think that the profile of learner wellbeing and the relationships that teachers have with their children has definitely become more of a focus,’’ she said.

‘‘The fact that our preschool has been involved with the Healthy Minds, Healthy Futures research team into wellbeing has meant it has been at the forefront of our curriculum focus. The first thing that we work toward is making a connection with families so once we have that, then all of the learning is built on top of that.’’

Ms Liston said it is important for the children to have a connection with their teacher before they begin to connect with other students.

‘‘We’ve actually seen the progress it has made as far as you make those connections and you take the time to focus on the learner well-being, and the learning comes.

‘‘The way they engage in their environment is so different to when they feel like they are disconnected or if they feel like that they’re not at ease or comfortable in the kindy environment.’’

Story source: The Advertiser (23/2/2010)
Journalist: Martina Simos
Photos: Michael Marschall

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(18 January 2010) CRF invites research applications for the 2011 grant period

The Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation of South Australia Inc (CRF) invites research applications for the 2011 grant period, which opens on Thursday 4 February 2010.

The purpose of the Foundation is to promote health, educational or social research that encourages and advances investigation into the cause, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of any condition that may affect the general health, education or welfare of children.

Applicants are asked to note:
1. Applications are sought from the fields of Medicine, Education, Dentistry, Nursing, Social Sciences, Environment, Mental Health and Allied Health.
2. Applications will be received in three categories – basic science, clinical studies or community-based studies. Special consideration will be given to ‘early career applicants’, applying for the first time as Chief Investigator.
3. Grants are allocated solely to applicants for research completed in South Australia or the Northern Territory.
4. The Foundation generally supports grants up to $75,000 per annum.
5. Applications may be supported for a maximum of two years.

View more details

The closing date for applications is Thursday 29 April 2010 at 5pm. Successful applicants will be advised in October 2010, with funds being available from January 2011.

Please note: If you have any outstanding reports or unremitted funds, they must be finalised prior to making an application for the current funding round. Failure to do so may make you ineligible for future grants.
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