Shelly Abbott

Flinders University · School of Nursing and Midwifery

The Beyond Kayaking program is a free, outdoor activity-based, parenting intervention delivered across multiple sessions to vulnerable families in regional South Australia. Current literature on outdoor activity-based interventions have demonstrated improvements in family communication, problem-solving, bonding and trust. However, these studies are...

This evaluation represents the active and systematic engagement of the South Australian Facilitating Partners in the development of evidence-based methods, processes and strategies to identify their impact on and genuine commitment to: relationship building, service support and connection, and knowledge transfer in their communities. The evaluators...

Aim Currently, there is limited knowledge on the impact of father-only sessions or parenting programs supporting impending fatherhood. This research explored an antenatal dads program aimed at fathers to assess the benefits of such interventions. Background Literature regarding parenting programs and early childhood education initiatives, especial...

This evaluation represents the active and systematic engagement of the South Australian Facilitating Partners in the development of evidence-based methods, processes and strategies. Identifying their impact on and commitment to: relationship building, service support and connection, and knowledge transfer in their communities. The collaborative res...

The evaluation of one of the programs provided by the Communities for Children initiative (CfC) is presented here. This Salvation Army, FamilyZone Ingle Farm Hub commissioned report is divided into five sections. The first section presents the background information on the CfC Initiative including an outline of the demographic and epidemiological o...

Parry, YK., & Abbott, S, (2018) Independent Evaluation, Final Report: Being with Baby Program, FamilyZone, Ingle Farm. Flinders University, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, for, Communities for Children, Facilitating Partner Salisbury Salvation Army and Lutheran Community Care SA. The evaluation of one of the programs provided by the Commu...

The Aspire Child Development and Wellbeing program has evolved over several years to meet the levels of vulnerability found in the area, the needs of the parents and children, and the needs of staff/workers who may work directly or indirectly with children. For example, mental health professionals may work addressing parental mental health, therefo...

the Western Perinatal Support Group (WPSG); a program coordinated by Communities for Children (CfC). The research explored the relationship between Communities for Children (CfC) programs delivered in Western Adelaide and some of the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) for the children and families who have used the service [8, 25]. Communities for...

Migrant and refugee families can have complex needs. In particular refugee families have often been subjected to traumatic experiences before arriving in Australia. Parents have endured human rights abuses, trauma and loss often associated with genocide, rape, war and torture. These life circumstances can leave parents emotionally and psychological...

The ac.care Communities for Children Murraylands Antenatal Dads and First Year Families program is delivered at various sites and towns near Murray Bridge South Australia. Engaging fathers in understanding the importance of contemporary neurobiological, psychological, biological and socio-cultural development is paramount to improving infant and ch...

The parenting and staff development aspects of the ac.care Aspire Child Development and Wellbeing program is delivered at various sites and towns near Murray Bridge, South Australia. The ac.care Aspire Child Development and Wellbeing program provides an integrated service delivery approach supporting parents to; build their capability to meet their...

The evaluation of the programs provided by the Communities for Children initiative (CfC) is presented here. This report is divided into five sections. The first section presents the background information on the CfC initiative including an outline of the demographic and epidemiological outcomes for children in the area of focus for this evaluation....

The research based evaluation of the programs provided by the ac.care Limestone Coast Generic Homelessness Service programs is presented here. This report is divided into five sections. The first section presents the background information on the ac.care Limestone Coast Generic Homelessness Service initiative including: the aims of the program, an...

ac.care Murray Bridge is the Facilitating Partner of CfC and, as such, acts as a broker in engaging the community in the delivery of children’s and parent’s programs aimed at enhancing community outcomes (Muir, Katz et al. 2010). The CfC initiative aimed to improve the coordination of services for children 0-12 years and their families in order to...

The ac.care Communities for Children Murraylands Beyond Kayaking program is delivered at various sites and towns near Murray Bridge South Australia. The Beyond Kayaking program provides an integrated service delivery approach supporting parents to improve their relationships with their children. The program also aids parents in accessing other prog...

There are known linkages between child maltreatment and levels of economic and social stress that are generally prevalent in areas of relative disadvantage (Access Economics Pty Limited 2008, Maggi, Irwin et al. 2010, AIHW 2012). Accordingly, Communities for Children (CfC) was established in 2004 following a decision by the 6 then Australian Govern...

The evaluation of the programs provided by the Communities for Children (CfC) initiative is presented here. This report is divided into five sections. The first section presents the background information on the CfC initiative including an outline of the demographic and epidemiological outcomes for children in the area of focus for this evaluation....

The KidStuff Program provides access to young pregnant women and young parents on topics that seek to address and circumvent the deleterious impacts on infant and children of young maternal age. Barriers to service access for young parents include: feelings of shame, lack of education (young parents are disengaged from primary and secondary school)...

The evaluation of the KidStuff for Young Parents programs provided by the Communities for Children initiative (CfC) is presented here. This report is divided into three sections. The first section presents the background information on the CfC initiative including an outline of the demographic and epidemiological outcomes for children in the area o...