Honorary Research Associate
BA MSc
Kirsten has been at the Telethon Kids Institute since 2010, and is currently a Research Fellow in the Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. The Life Course Centre brings together Australian and international researchers who aim to address questions surrounding the transmission of disadvantage within families and across generations.
Kirsten investigates a wide range of issues around child development, particularly for vulnerable children and those in families with multiple generations of disadvantage. Her focus is on education, school attendance, health and mental health issues for disadvantaged students.
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Projects
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Publications
March 2022
School readiness is more than the child: a latent class analysis of child, family, school and community aspects of school readiness
In this paper, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the multidimensional nature of school readiness. In a sample of over 4,000 Australian children in their first year of school, we used latent class analysis to examine patterns of school readiness based on child, family, school and community characteristics, and examine the relationship between these patterns of school readiness and subsequent outcomes (reading comprehension, school absence and emotional and behavioural difficulties).
Published research Human Capability School AttendanceMay 2021Associations Between Developmental Risk Profiles, Mental Disorders, and Student Absences Among Primary and Secondary Students in Australia
This study assessed if the association between mental disorders and higher student absences varies across different profiles of risk factors, and estimated the proportion of student absences associated with mental disorders. Data included responses from a nationally representative Australian survey of child and adolescent mental health.
Published research Human Capability School Attendance Youth HealthNovember 2020The Importance of School Pedagogical and Social Climate to Students’ Unauthorized Absenteeism – a Multilevel Study of 101 Swedish Schools
While individual and family factors behind students’ school absenteeism are well-researched, fewer studies have addressed school climate factors. This study investigated the association between school climate in Swedish schools and students’ absenteeism.
Published research School AttendanceJune 2020Chronic health conditions, mental health and the school: A narrative review
School-based social risk processes in the lives of young people with chronic health conditions are likely to contribute to risk of psychological problems
Published research Human Capability Ear Health Youth Mental Health School and Community WellbeingAugust 2018The school experiences of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Western Australia
Elevated levels of emotional difficulties among school students with T1D and variable levels of support from school staff to assist these students to manage their diabetes at school
Diabetes (Type 1) Published research Diabetes and Obesity Youth Mental Health School and Community WellbeingJune 2018Development and Assessment of Cumulative Risk Measures of Family Environment and Parental Investments in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children
This study aimed to derive and assess summary indices of three domains of the family environment, including a Family Stress Index, Home Education Index and Parenting Index
Published research Human CapabilityMarch 2018Educational inequality across three generations in Australia
Using a dataset of Australian children, we have the opportunity to not only investigate the transfer of educational resources across 3 generations in Australia.
Published research Human CapabilityFebruary 2018The Diverse Risk Profiles of Persistently Absent Primary Students: Implications for Attendance Policies in Australia
Understanding variations in risk profiles among persistently non-attending children will inform the development of absence interventions.
Published research Human Capability School AttendanceJanuary 2018Does the reason matter? How student-reported reasons for school absence contribute to differences in achievement outcomes among 14–15 year olds
We used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children to examine the reasons for 14-15 year old absences and how they relate to outcomes in year 9.
Published research Human Capability School AttendanceMarch 2017Associations between school absence and academic achievement: Do socioeconomics matter?
School attendance should therefore be a priority for all schools, and not just those with high rates of absence or low average achievement.
Published research Aboriginal Mental Health & Wellbeing Human Capability Youth Mental HealthMay 2017Mental health problems among 4–17-year-olds with hearing problems: results from a nationally representative study
Clinicians caring for children and young people with hearing problems should be alert for heightened risk of specific mental health problems based on age and the nature of hearing problems.
Published research Human Capability Ear Health Youth Mental Health School and Community WellbeingJuly 2017School absence and its effect on school performance for children born with orofacial clefts
We aimed to describe school absence and its relationship with school performance for children with and without orofacial clefts.
Published research Human Capability Alcohol and Pregnancy and FASD Research School AttendanceAugust 2017Parents’ interest in their child's education and children's outcomes in adolescence and adulthood: Does gender matter?
We found no evidence of gender-specific effects for the outcomes of academic achievement, educational expectations or educational attainment in adulthood.
Published research Human CapabilityNovember 2017Longitudinal trajectories of mental health in Australian children aged 4-5 to 14-15 years
This paper offers a rare opportunity to longitudinally examine mental health in a population-representative study of children aged 4-5 years to 14-15 years
Published research Human Capability -
Education and Qualifications