New scholarships available in early childhood
 |
| Professor Steven Schwartz, |
Three postgraduate scholarships are currently available in Macquarie University's new Children and Families Research Centre for those with an interest and expertise in early childhood education.
The Children and Families Research Centre has been established to take an interdisciplinary approach to exploring the developmental, social and educational factors affecting children and families.
"Families are the main influence on the development of children, along with other people and settings such as teachers and schools," says Director of the new Centre Professor Jennifer Bowes. "We need to gather Australian data on the development of children within their families and other settings so that policy can be based on relevant and high quality research information."
Initial projects
The Centre's initial projects will focus on the field of early childhood education and particularly families that don't have ready access to child care in the early years. The four groups that will be the focus of research are:
- Aboriginal children
- children with disabilities
- children who are gifted
- children of recent arrivals in Australia
"It is well understood that early childhood education sets the foundations of learning and your way of coping with life," says Bowes. "Early childhood education provides a forum where you can start on your educational path but also learn how to mix with other children."
Other Research
Two postdoctoral fellowships will commence in the Centre later this year thanks to funding from the NSW Department of Community Services. Dr Wayne Warburton will conduct research into domestic violence and its impact on families and Dr Rebecca Grace will research the experiences of child care by children from low socio-economic groups.
The Centre is also working on a number of major projects including:
- Training DoCS case workers who work on the Parents as Teachers scheme
- Working with UnitingCare Burnside on a project in a disadvantaged Sydney suburb
- Professional training days for those who work with children and families.
Postgraduate Scholarships
The postgraduate scholarship positions currently available are suitable for those with an interest and expertise in children with disabilities, gifted children, children of new arrivals in Australia, and Indigenous children, as related to early childhood education.
Applicants should have completed a four-year Australian undergraduate degree with first-class honours in a discipline such as special education, psychology, early childhood or sociology. Those with equivalent research qualifications would be considered.
Scholarships pay a living allowance currently set at $19,616 per annum, tax exempt. Tuition fees will be funded for the scholarship tenure (3.5 years subject to satisfactory performance). The closing date for these scholarships is 24 August 2007.
For further information on the Children and Families Research Centre visit www.aces.mq.edu.au/aces_re_cfrc.asp or contact Professor Jennifer Bowes jennifer.bowes@mq.edu.au
For further information on the scholarships visit www.research.mq.edu.au/students/scholarships/pages/ACES_CFRC