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Research
Developing fit-for-purpose funding models for rural settings: Lessons from the evaluation of a step-up/step-down service in regional AustraliaSub-acute mental health community services provide a bridging service between hospital and community care. There is limited understanding of the local factors that influence success, and of the funding implications of delivering services in rural areas.
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Gender non-conformity in childhood and adolescence and mental health through to adulthood: A longitudinal cohort study, 1995-2018Few studies have examined associations between gender non-conformity (GNC) in childhood or adolescence and mental health outcomes later in life. This study examined associations between GNC and mental health over multiple time points in childhood and adolescence, and GNC in childhood and/or adolescence and mental health in adulthood.
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The relationship between pitch contours in infant-directed speech and early signs of autism in infancyMother-infant interactions during the first year of life are crucial to healthy infant development. The infant-directed speech (IDS), and specifically pitch contours, used by mothers during interactions are associated with infant language and social development.
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Western Australia remote aeromedical substance use disorders outcomesSubstance use disorders (SUDs) cause significant harm to regional Australians, who are more likely to misuse alcohol and other drugs (AODs) and encounter difficulty in accessing treatment services. The primary aims of this study were to describe the demographics of patients aeromedically retrieved from regional locations and compare hospital outcomes with a metropolitan-based cohort.
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Trans Young People’s Experiences of Nonsuicidal Self-InjuryNonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is particularly common among trans young people. Trans young people tend to experience high levels of emotional distress due to the unique stressors they face, and often use NSSI as an emotion regulation strategy. These stressors include gender dysphoria, body image concerns, and transphobic experiences.
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Do parent-reported early indicators predict later developmental language disorder? A Raine Study investigationDevelopmental language disorder (DLD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions. Due to variable rates of language growth in children under 5 years, the early identification of children with DLD is challenging. Early indicators are often outlined by speech pathology regulatory bodies and other developmental services as evidence to empower caregivers in the early identification of DLD.
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Lessons from schools with high levels of support for students with type 1 diabetes: A qualitative studyThis project aimed to investigate how schools provide support for the psychosocial wellbeing and disease management of students with type 1 diabetes
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Developmental origins of psycho-cardiometabolic multimorbidity in adolescence and their underlying pathways through methylation markers: a two-cohort studyUnderstanding the biological mechanisms behind multimorbidity patterns in adolescence is important as they may act as intermediary risk factor for long-term health. We aimed to explore relationship between prenatal exposures and adolescent's psycho-cardiometabolic intermediary traits mediated through epigenetic biomarkers, using structural equation modeling (SEM).
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Expert survey: safer research with parent survivors of child maltreatmentIntergenerational trauma research typically focuses on parent survivors. No specific guidelines are available for conducting research with parent survivors despite potentially unique risks. To investigate research safety with parent survivors, we conducted an online survey of 38 researchers regarding experiences of parent survivors in their research, precautions taken, ethical review experiences, and researchers’ mental health during the project(s).
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Retrospective Examination of Peripubertal Return for Patients of Western Australia's Gender Diversity ServiceChildren far in advance of pubertal development may be deferred from further assessment for gender-affirming medical treatment until nearer puberty. It is vital that returning peripubertal patients are seen promptly to ensure time-sensitive assessment and provision of puberty suppression treatment where appropriate.

News & Events
Remote pools boost Aboriginal child healthA comprehensive study into the impact of swimming pools in remote Aboriginal communities has found significant health and social benefits for children.
News & Events
Gap between death rates for Aboriginal and non-AboriginalGAP BETWEEN DEATH RATES FOR ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL INFANTS WIDENING
News & Events
Pain of forced separation affecting a new generationA new report has found that the long term effects of past government policies to forcibly separate Aboriginal children from their families are being felt

News & Events
WA Aboriginal Child Health Survey preserved for future generationsThe landmark Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey has been placed into archiving at the State Library of Western Australia to be preserved for future generations.
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Youth-onset type 2 diabetes among First Nations young people in northern Australia: a retrospective, cross-sectional studyLiz Davis MBBS FRACP PhD Co-director of Children’s Diabetes Centre Co-director of Children’s Diabetes Centre Professor Davis is a paediatric
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Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL): Australian research network in human health and environmental changeThe HEAL Network aims to strengthen the Australian health system and community resilience to climate change, extreme events, and environmental degradation.
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“We don’t want you to come in and make a decision for us”: Traversing cultural authority and responsive regulation in Australian child protection systemsThe Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort (Our Children Our Heart) project conducted extensive Elder and community consultation to develop principles and practice recommendations for child protection governance in Western Australia. We explore these principles and practice recommendations and highlight the need for culturally safe community consultation and governance with a focus on repairing damage incurred by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community from past child protection policies.
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Our journey, our story: a study protocol for the evaluation of a co-design framework to improve services for Aboriginal youth mental health and well-beingMainstream Australian mental health services are failing Aboriginal young people. Despite investing resources, improvements in well-being have not materialised. Culturally and age appropriate ways of working are needed to improve service access and responsiveness. This Aboriginal-led study brings Aboriginal Elders, young people and youth mental health service staff together to build relationships to co-design service models and evaluation tools.
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Review of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopleFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a preventable, lifelong disability that disproportionately affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the available information on FASD among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with reference to the limitations on population-based data and evaluated programs.