Links to Internet sites

Sites of interest to those working in family studies research and policy are the focus of this list. There is a geographic bias to Australia and the Pacific although key sites from other countries and regions are included. All links have been visited and chosen on the basis of their content and many are good starting points for locating other sites in an area.

Links from the project websites:
Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault
Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse
Communities and Families Clearinghouse Australia
National Child Protection Clearinghouse
Stronger Families Learning Exchange (no longer updated)

General Resources

Ask Now - Australia's first nationwide reference service began operating in August 2002 as a 12 month pilot project. Supported by the National, State and Territory libraries, Ask Now is open to anyone. Ask a question and get a response in real time.
Guide to Australia - an online hypertext encyclopaedia, topics include, Australian facts and figures, geography, the environment and weather, communications, culture, tourism, travel, government and history.
Search Engine Colossus - international directory of search engines focusing on content in more than 100 countries.
Te Puna Web Directory - A directory to New Zealand and Pacific Island websites - constructed by the National Library of New Zealand this searchable online directory provides a subject gateway to selected New Zealand and Pacific Island Internet information resources.
Unicef Home Page - information on child rights, child labour, statistics, publications, including the State of the World's Children 2008.
United Nations Home Page - and links to Economic and Social Development programs.
VICNET - Setup by the Victorian Government in conjunction with RMIT. Provides Government and Community information and links to other Australian sites.
Web of Online Dictionaries - an extensive collection (compiled by Robert Beard, rbeard@bucknell.edu) of online language dictionaries and lexicons. Includes many Asia-Pacific resources and some Australian Aboriginal languages.
Wikipedia - the free Encyclopedia - Begun in 2001, Wikipedia has rapidly grown into the largest reference website on the Internet. The content of Wikipedia is free, written collaboratively by people from all around the world.
World Fact Book 2008 - the US Central Intelligence Agency's annual country information reference book contains a wide range of information on every recognized country in the world. For each - a map and flag, geography, population (birth, death, net migration, sex, infant mortality and fertility rates, ethnic composition, languages and literacy), government, economy, transportation, communication, and defence information is provided.

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Government Sites - Australia

Australian Government

australia.gov.au - Australian Government site providing access to a wide range of Australian government information and services presented under broad topics such as: Australian facts and figures; Benefits, payments and services; Business and industry; Culture, history and sport; Economics, finance and tax; Family, home and community; Health and safety; Law and justice etc.
Australian Government: Selected websites - compiled by the National Library provides links to websites for federal, state and local governments, to Australian political parties, courts and legislation and the Australian constitution, diplomatic and consular missions, historical information, and other guides to Australia.
Australian Government Online Directory - A guide to the structure, organisations and key people in the Australian Government. Information in the site is grouped under the four key arms of government: Government departments and agencies, the Commonwealth Parliament, the Governor-General, and, Courts and Judges.
Access to Government Publications - publications.gov.au provides assistance to people searching for Australian Government publications and provides links to publications and other resources on the websites of Australian Government agencies.
Budget 2008-2009 - The 2008-09 Commonwealth Budget will be released on Tuesday 13 May 2008.
Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia - access to Hansard and other parliamentary publications, biographies of members, Senate and House of Representatives, Parliamentary Committees, and a a listing of Senators and Members biographies.
Centrelink - Centrelink is a government agency delivering a range of Commonwealth services to the Australian community. The site provides payment rates for Commonwealth government pensions and benefits, information about services, publications, facts and figures, and assistance for non English speakers.
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) - FaHCSIA is responsible for social policies and support affecting Australian society and the living standards of Australian families. Information is provided on the Department and its programs, policy, publications, legislation and research. Other subsidiary sites of interest are:
EdNA - Education Network Australia - a national collaborative network that involves all sectors of Australian education and training: government and non-government schools, Vocational Education and Training (VET), Higher Education and Adult Community Education.
Family Assistance Office - set up by the Australian Government to give Australian families better access to government services and so families can receive all their payments from one place.
Family Relationships Online - provides all families with access to information about family relationship issues, ranging from building better relationships to dispute resolution. It also allows families to find out about a range of services that can assist them to manage relationship issues, including agreeing on appropriate arrangements for children after parents separate.
Health and Ageing - the website provides information on the Department's policies, programs and services, including publications and a research and statistics section. Related websites include:
- Child Support Agency
- HealthInsite
- Mental Health and Wellbeing - providing information and publications from the National Mental Health Strategy (NMHS) and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS).
- National Drugs Campaign - This website has information for young people, parents and families, the media, health professionals and the broader community.
Human Services - The Department of Human Services was established by the Australian Government in October 2004 to improve the delivery of social and health-related services to the Australian people. The Department brings under one 'umbrella', six diverse agencies which collectively deliver payments and services. These include:
National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC is Australia's peak body for supporting health and medical research; for developing health advice for the Australian community, health professionals and governments; and for providing advice on ethical behaviour in health care and in the conduct of health and medical research. The website gives information about research and research funding, health advice, ethical issues, and publications, many available in PDF.
The Source - a Commonwealth government youth initiative developed by the Department of Employment, Education and Youth Affairs which offers information and links for young people on careers, jobs, traineeships, skill development, services; money; youth networks; health; justice; good times; and an opportunity to contribute.
Work and Family Website - Part of the Workplace Portal, the site offers factsheets on the importance of a family friendly workplace and assistance in developing and implementing a family friendly workplace policy, information about work and family awards and events, and access to work and family publications.
www.community.gov.au - the Communities Portal - helps Australians find relevant, up-to-date information on community and government services.

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State Government Agencies with Family and Related Information

Australian Capital Territory

Office for Children, Youth and Family Support - The Office is located within the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services and works in partnership with the community to provide care and protection, services to young people, and family and community support to meet the needs of the people of Canberra. In addition, the Office is responsible for youth justice services and the monitoring and licensing of children's services.

New South Wales

Department of Community Services - The Department offers child protection services, parenting support and early intervention, foster care, adoption services and help for communities affected by disaster. Also relevant, the Office for Women, a unit in the NSW Premier's Department responsible for strategy, policy development, programs and projects to benefit the women of New South Wales; and the NSW Commission for Children and Young People.

Northern Territory

Department of Health and Community Services - The Department exists to provide services that work together for the health and well-being of its communities: maximising physical health but also the mental, social and environmental well-being of all Territorians. The website provides information about government policy and services, for example on, Aboriginal health, child protection, family and children's services, family support and foster care. Government publications, research activities and statistics are available online.

Queensland

Department of Communities - The Department's stated purpose is to strengthen and protect the well-being of Queenslanders, particularly those who are vulnerable and most in need. It provides and supports a range of services to a wide cross section of Queenslanders including neglected or abused children; young offenders; older people; volunteers; people who are homeless or disadvantaged; families experiencing domestic and family violence; families in crisis or threatened by breakdown; and families using child care services. Other relevant agencies are the Office for Women for issues relevant to women and girls, and the Queensland Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian.

South Australia

Department for Families and Communities - is the lead agency in enhancing family and community well-being through integrated services covering the following areas : Aboriginal affairs; Housing; Ageing and community care; Children, youth and family services; Community and disability services; and services to women. The government also funds the Child and Youth Health Service, a web-based service offering a large database with information about the health of children and young people, parenting information and a 24 hour Parent Help Line, publications, news items and contact information for more than 250 child and youth health locations in South Australia.

Tasmania

Department of Health and Human Services - The Department brings together a wide range of services for the people of Tasmania, providing health care services in hospitals and the community, offering a range of support services, promoting better health, maintaining services for elderly people and those with disabilities, and providing housing programs. The website provides a services directory, online publications and links to legislation it administers. Tasmania's Office of the Commissioner for Children aims to safeguard the rights of children as set out in legislation based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Commissioner serves to promote and protect the rights of all children and young people in Tasmania with respect of their health, care, welfare, protection and development.

Victoria

Department of Human Services, Community Care Division - The Division is responsible for the policy and program framework for services and the delivery of services for Victoria's children, young people, families and vulnerable individuals. Through its Branches of Child Protection and Juvenile Justice, Family and Community Support, and Research, Budget and Program Support, the Division covers a range of areas including: adoption and foster care, child care, child protection, early childhood intervention, family support, juvenile justice, maternal and child health, parenting support, sexual assault services, and youth services.

Western Australia

Department for Communities - the Department supports the social wellbeing and participation of key community groups; children and young people, seniors, women, carers, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The website provides news, resources and information for these communities. The Department for Child Protection's major focus is meeting the needs of vulnerable children and families. The Department has a strong child protection focus, and is responsible for: Adoption; Child protection - children at risk; Children and young people in care; Foster care; Indigenous; Training - CSTC; Working with children checks.

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Government Sites - Other Countries

Yahoo's Government Page - searchable information on 56 countries from Argentina to Zimbabwe.

Canada

Human Resources and Social Development Canada - HRSDC's mission is to build a stronger and more competitive Canada, to support Canadians in making choices that help them live productive and rewarding lives, and to improve Canadians' quality of life.

Ireland

Government of Ireland, Department of Social and Family Affairs - The Department aims to promote a caring society through ensuring access to income support and related services, enabling active participation, promoting social inclusion and supporting families. Service areas are: families and children, retired and older people, ill or disabled, carers, bereaved, unemployed, and education and training for employment programs.

New Zealand

Families Commission - Established in 2004, the Commission's role is to promote the interests of all New Zealand families and to foster better understanding of family issues and needs amongst government agencies and in the wider community. The Commission conducts, funds and disseminates research into family issues and contributes to policy development across the Government as a key stakeholder in family-related issues.
Ministry of Social Development - The Ministry provides government with advice on strategic social policy, sectoral policy and social research and evaluation in the areas of income support, children, youth, and family as well as community. It is responsible for service delivery, income support and employment services and coordinates services and programs that support families. Other agencies for which the Ministry is responsible are: the Ministry of Youth Development, Office for Disability Issues, and the Office for Senior Citizens, and Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector.

United Kingdom

Throught its Direct Gov website the UK provides access to services for young people, parents, disabled people, over 50s, carers etc.
Department of Work and Pensions - The Department is responsible for the Government's welfare reform agenda. Its aim is to promote opportunity and independence for all. It delivers support and advice through a modern network of services to people of working age, employers, pensioners, families and children and disabled people. The site offers online publications including research analysis and statistics, and policy and strategic publications.

United States of America

Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families - The Department is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. An HHS agency, the Administration for Children and Families is responsible for some 60 programs that promote the economic and social well-being of children, families and communities.

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Research and Policy Centres

Australia, Asia and the Pacific

ACWA Online - The Association of Children's Welfare Agencies aims to improve the quality of services to children and young people and their families. It undertakes policy, research and training activities in child and adolescent welfare with a focus on children at risk of coming into care, those in care and those leaving care; ACWA publishes a newsletter and occasional Issues Papers and is a major training provider.
Australian Council for Educational Research - ACER monitors emerging educational priorities and issues and undertakes commissioned research to inform educational policy and practice. The Web site provides access to information about the Council's products, publications, assessment services, research programs and library services.
Australasian Centre on Ageing, University of Queensland - The Centre's purpose is to integrate and focus research expertise in human ageing from across the university and to link it with government and community priorities.
Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute - The Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute (ADSRI) was established in 2007 by the Australian National University. Incorporating the Australian Social Science Data Archive, ADSRI's mission is to conduct and promote demographic and social research and training of the highest quality in Australia with an emphasis on evidence-based policy research.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies - access to a diverse collection of resources including a library, Native Title research unit, publications, research, and news and events.
Australian Institute of Criminology - the site includes the AIC's research, information and conference programs and current Australian criminal justice statistics.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Australia's national agency for health and welfare statistics and information, the site includes publications listing and the full text of two key reports - Australia's Health and Australia's Welfare.
Australian Policy Online - Maintained by the Institute for Social Research at Swinburne University, APO offers access to Australian social, economic, cultural and political research available online from more than 50 research and policy centres.
Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth - The Alliance is a national collaboration of researchers, policy makers and practitioners from a broad range of disciplines who are working together to generate and translate knowledge to enhance the well-being and life chances of children and young people.
Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University - The Centre undertakes multidisciplinary research into social and behavioural aspects of sexually transmissible diseases, their prevention and consequences. Its research program seeks to understand human sexuality as a social and cultural practice.
Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne - an agency advocating for social justice through its research and social action programs. The site provides access to a 1997 publications catalogue of reports on employment and unemployment, housing and homelessness, services for people on low income, children and families, poverty issues, etc, and to the full text of media releases, submissions, speeches and presentations.
Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), Australian National University - a multi-disciplinary social sciences research centre with a primary focus on Indigenous Australian economic policy and economic development issues, including native title and land rights, social justice, and the socioeconomic status of Indigenous Australians. Abstracts of publications and online ordering are available from the Web site.
Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne - the Centre's mission is to improve the health of young people, through research, health promotion, education, training, advocacy and clinical services. The site includes information on current psycho-social research and a series of fact sheets on adolescent health issues.
Center for Child Development, Hong Kong - The Center's focus is children, youth, families, and school with a major emphasis on the understanding of socialization of Chinese children (in Hong Kong and other Chinese societies). Cross-cultural studies of child development in the Asian-Pacfic regions are also emphasized and inter-disciplinary research and training programs are a distinctive feature. The Center's services and Newsletter are available from the site.
Centre for Children and Young People (CCYP), Southern Cross University - The CCYP promotes the status of children and young people in research, policy and practice. It brings together four important strands: an interdisciplinary approach; a focus on research, education and advocacy for children and young people; an emphasis on cross-sectoral partnerships to promote evidence-based policy and practice and the inclusion and participation of children and young people.
Centre for Community Child Health, University of Melbourne - The Centre is a clinical and research centre based at the Royal Children's Hospital. The site includes information on clinical services, professional development and training, current research projects, and publications, many available online.
Centre for Independent Studies, Sydney, NSW - the Centre is an independent public policy research institute or 'think tank' emphasising the role of the free market in an open society in its examination of social and economic policy issues in Australasia and New Zealand. The website contains many online publications including lectures, journals and reports and a listing of publications in print.
Centre for Rural Social Research, Charles Sturt University - an extensive collection of Web resources on rural social issues, rural change, rural community development, including: upcoming rural conferences and workshops worldwide, rural links and discussion lists, publications, articles from the Rural Society journal, and the Centre's research activities.
Child Research Net, Japan - a research centre on the Internet. CRN's aim is to collect, exchange and analyze information about children's problems gathered from researchers and professionals in Japan and to find better ways of solving them through cooperative studies. In Japanese and English, the site includes results from international surveys on children, online research discussions, and access to academic research papers published on the Net.
Children's Issues Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin NZ - a national interdisciplinary forum for research and discussion of children's issues. The centre has an educational, research and policy role and its main mission is to monitor, co-ordinate, produce and disseminate information about children's well being and healthy development.
Dusseldorp Skills Forum - an independent, non profit association working to stimulate innovative educational developments and workforce change in the the wider community and to promote the formation of skills and personal effectiveness, particularly in young people. Supporting and developing projects which demonstrate that change and reform are possible, advocating appropriate policy and institutional changes, promoting best practice and developing other practical responses to learning needs, commissioning and disseminating research on key issues are some of the methods used. Information about DSF projects and related resources, publications, a tools and resources archive and a useful collection of links are available from the website.
Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle - FAC is a multi-disciplinary Centre with the vision of a truly civil society and a belief that family well-being is a cornerstone of healthy communities. Its key functions are to: deliver support programs; disseminate information; advocate for family well-being; conduct research, and provide training and consultation.
Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA), University of Adelaide - HDA facilitates multidisciplinary developmental research to promote the well-being of Australia's infants, children and adolescents. It incorporates more than 100 members in over 20 research disciplines across the state in universities, government departments, and organisations with research and commercial expertise related to 'healthy development'.
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne - the current focus of Institute research is quantitative macroeconomics and business cycle analysis; labour, social and fiscal studies; and innovation and enterprise performance. One major study is the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, a longitudinal panel survey of Australian households to be conducted over a four year period. Its primary objective is to support research on Income dynamics, labour market dynamics, and family dynamics.
National Ageing Research Institute (NARI), University of Melbourne - includes current research projects, publications, the full text of its journal Ageing Well and links to related internet sites.
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University - NCEPH's mission is to contribute to better health, nationally and internationally, through research and workforce-training contributions to epidemiology and other population health disciplines, and to public health policy and practice. Current research, publications (more recent are online), seminars and events. can be found on the website.
National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra - NATSEM aims to enhance social and economic debate and analysis, by analysing microdata, developing microsimulation models and applying them to relevant research and consultancy. Descriptions of current research, publications - many in PDF format, are available from the website.
National Institute for Child and Family Development (NICFD), Mahidol University, Thailand - NICFD is responsible for the development of knowledge and manpower, capacity building and technical support in order to improve the quality of life and development for children and families to the fullest potential.
National Institute of Labour Studies (NILS), Flinders University - The Institute was established in 1972 and aims to produce high quality research and consulting in the areas of: analysis of labour market developments; industrial relations developments and issues; employment, unemployment and labour mobility; labour productivity and workplace performance; employee and management opinion surveys; education and training; and immigration. The website offers access to a wide range of publications, many of them online and to information about the Institute's research and education programs.
Research Centre on Ageing and Retirement, University of New South Wales - a multidiscplinary Centre established in 1999, drawing on a number of faculties within the university, concerned with the broad issues of ageing and retirement.
Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales - the site's focus is the Centre's current research projects, papers from its annual social policy research conference, summaries of recent research reports and full text of many SPRC discussion and conference papers.
Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology - the Institute is committed to the improvement of social and individual well-being through progressive research. Information about research projects and forthcoming seminars offered by the Institute is available from the site.
The Australia Institute - The Australia Institute is an independent public policy research centre established in 1994 to develop and conduct research and policy analysis and to participate in public policy debates. The site contains a large number of online publications including Newsletters and Discussion Papers related to families, such as New families for changing times, Population ageing: crisis or transition, and Mutual obligation - ethical and social implications.
Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne - publications list and current research projects, and the Youth Affairs Research Network (YARN) project, a network for people interested and involved in youth research. It provides a mailing list and website of abstracts of Australian research and links to research centres and resources on youth research.

Europe

Austrian Institute for Family Studies, University of Vienna - The Institute is a scientific, independent organisation for application-oriented, interdisciplinary study to examine the structure and dynamics of families, generations, genders and partnerships. Some publications are in English.
Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University - Established in 2002, CCFR investigates how vulnerable children, young people and adults experience life in society today: how their experiences and situations differ; what social circumstances and environmental factors influence well being; and ways that services and policy can be shaped to improve their experiences.
Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge - The Centre is a multi-disciplinary research centre within the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. It has an international reputation in its field of research on families and kinship, and attracts visiting scholars from all over the world. The website provides information on the history and members of the centre, current research projects, seminars and interest groups.
Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (CRFR), University of Edinburgh - CRFR is a consortium research centre established in 2001 with partners at Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of Aberdeen, University of Glasgow, and University of Stirling. The research focus is on families and relationships across the lifecourse and generations, using both qualitative and quantitative methodology, to produce inclusive and high-quality, cutting-edge research relevant to Scotland. Details of current research projects, staff, and online publications are on the website.
Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (FLaG), University of Leeds - The FLaG Research Centre was established in 2005. The Centre provides an interdisciplinary forum for researchers and research users interested in families and intergenerational relationships across the life course (including childhood, youth, adulthood and older life). Details of ongoing and completed research projects, working papers and a seminar series are available from the website.
Childwatch International Research Network - a nonprofit, nongovernmental network for institutions and individuals involved in research for children. It aims to initiate and coordinate research and information projects on children's living conditions and the implementation of children's rights. The website provides information about and links to a network of key institutions involved in child research around the world and well as details about research programs in progress.
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - the Council funds researchers in academic institutions and policy research institutes throughout the UK conducting research into social and economic issues. The website provides access to a Social Sciences Repository which records ESRC awards and the output of ESRC investments in the form of journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, e-prints, and books.
European Observatory on the Social Situation and Demography - The Observatory consists of four multi-disciplinary networks of independent experts established for the European Commission in 2005. Its aim is to analyse social and demographic trends and to assist the Commission in its duty to report on the social situation. The Observatory produces an overview of the social and demographic situation as well as research notes and shorter policy briefs on specific issues of high policy relevance.
Families and Social Capital, London Southbank University - Families are changing in Britain, and so is the society in which they live. The Families and Social Capital Research Group focuses on the inter-relationship between the dynamics of family change and social resource processes. Research papers are available in PDF.
Family and Parenting Institute (NFPI) - Established in 1999, the Institute is an independent charity set up to enhance the value and quality of family life by working to support parents in bringing up their children, by promoting the well-being of families, and making society more family-friendly. The website provides information about its research, mapping services, partnerships, parenting information service, public education campaigns, and advisory role.
Glasgow Centre for the Child and Society, University of Glasgow - The Centre aims to improve the lives of children and inform policy and practice through the provision of high quality research, teaching, training and consultancy. Its core concerns are with rights, needs and risks in relation to children.
Institute of Child Care Research, Queen's University, Belfast - The aim of Institute is to play a key role in influencing the development of child care policy and practice in Northern Ireland. This is achieved through identifying and conducting original research into child care needs and services, offering training and consultation on undertaking and applying child care research, and providing postgraduate research supervision. The website provides information on the Centre's research projects, staff, reports and staff publications.
Norwegian Centre for Child Research (NOSEB) - NOSEB is a national, interdisciplinary centre supporting both basic and applied child research. Its purpose is to enlarge our knowledge of how children's development is affected by social, historical, cultural and psychological processes. Publications and a searchable library catalogue are available from the website.
One Plus One - One Plus One is a team of researchers, practitioners and information specialists whose aim is to enhance understanding of how family relationships contribute to the well being of adults and children. The website provides access to a research library of articles and reports, a policy library of most recent policy documents, current research and policy news. Relevant research, statistics and policy news, and links can also be accessed via key topics.
State Institute for Family Research at the University of Bamberg (IFB) (Bamberg, Germany) - established in 1994 as an independent research agency of the Bavarian State Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs, Family and Women, the IFB conducts basic and applied research and provides political counseling and scientific evaluation of demonstration projects. The website is in German but information on main research areas, activities, and current research projects is in English and French.
Thomas Coram Research Unit, UK - a multidisciplinary research unit within the Institute of Education and a designated research unit of the Department of Health. The Unit's focus is policy-relevant research on children and young people both within and outside their families including care, education, health and social service settings. The website contains information about current staff, research projects, publications, conferences and seminars, and links to other useful UK and European organisations.
UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, Italy - access to the Centre's research, capacity-building, information management and publishing activities as well as to important databases created by the Centre. Many key reports about children in developing and industrialised countries are available for downloading.

Middle East

Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development - The Institute was established in 2005 as a global study center to provide the region and the world with academic research, interdisciplinary studies, and policy initiatives to support the efforts of international organisations and civil society to develop and implement family-friendly development plans, policies and programs.

North America

B.C. Council for Families - a non profit, non government agency of the Canadian province of British Columbia set up to advocate on behalf of the family; to research family issues; to be a leader in the field of family life education; and to provide training and resources to strengthen people's family relationships. An extensive collection of publications on family life, parenting, marriage relationships, prevention of family violence is provided.
Caledon Institute of Social Policy, Ottawa, Canada - established in 1992, the Institute is a non-profit organisation which conducts research and analysis; seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy; and develops and promotes proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government. The Institute's website offers an extensive list of publications, some available for downloading.
Canadian Policy Research Networks - CPRN's mission is to create knowledge and lead public debate on social and economic issues important to the well-being of Canadians. An independent, nonprofit agency it operates three research networks on Family, Work and Health. The Family Network is dedicated to advancing public debate on a full range of policy issues with research ranging from public values about children and families to broader concerns of social cohesion within communities and society as a whole. Online publications, commentaries and presentations, summaries of current research, an email news service, and links to related government and research websites are among the resources offered.
Center for Children and Childhood Studies, Rutgers University - the Center promotes understanding, enrichment and recognition of the significance of childhood experiences through support for collaborative research projects; coordination and expansion of service and outreach projects; sponsorship and development of new, multidisciplinary educational programs. Web resources are organised under these three themes and include publications, statistical sources, a list of journals related to childhood studies, research links and links to information for families about children's health and wellbeing.
Center for Demography and Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison - CDE is a multi-disciplinary faculty research cooperative for social scientific demographic research whose membership includes sociologists, rural sociologists, economists, epidemiologists, and statisticians. The website offers research publications, information services, access to data sets.
Center for Research on Child Wellbeing, Princeton University - the Center is concerned with a broad range of topics, including education, health, income, and family. Its goal is to promote basic research on children's wellbeing and to link research to public policy. The website contains a collection of online research papers from a major study on 'Fragile families and child wellbeing', Research Briefs aimed primarily at community leaders and policymakers, and a Working Papers Series. An Indicators page reports on the Center's Survey of Parents and Youth (SPY) and provides descriptions of other surveys that are also monitoring trends in child wellbeing. A collection of Links to American university centers conducting research on children is an additional resource.
Council on Contemporary Families, New York, NY - Founded in 1996 with a membership of noted family researchers, mental health and social work practitioners, and clinicians, the Council on Contemporary Families (CCF) is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to enhancing the national conversation about what contemporary families need and how these needs can best be met. The Centre achieves this role by the dissemination of educational materials, media coverage, conferences, and seminars. The website features: discussion of current controversies, fact sheets on family issues, articles, discussion papers, links to other resources and profiles of contributors.
Families and Work Institute - a national non-profit research, strategic planning, and consulting organization that conducts policy and worksite research on the changing workforce and changing family/personal lives. Site contains information on current research, publications and links to related websites.
Family Life Development Center, Cornell University - a research, training, outreach and education Center focusing on the risk factors in the lives of children, youth, families and communities that lead to family violence and neglect.
Family Research Laboratory (FRL), University of New Hampshire - an independent research unit devoted primarily to understanding violence and abuse in families and the impact of violence in families. The site includes the research program, bibliographies, unpublished papers online, and abstracts received for the forthcoming 5th International Family Violence Research Conference.
Harvard Family Research Project - HFRP's research focuses on family-school-community partnerships and strategy consulting and evaluation. The website provides access to the Evaluation Exchange, a free newsletter highlighting innovative methods and approaches to evaluation, emerging trends in evaluation practice, and practical applications of evaluation theory; the FINE network committed to the role of families and communities in public education; and publications online and in print.
Institute for Child and Family Policy at Columbia University - Established in 1999, the mission of the Institute is to identify and address fundamental and intractable problems in the formulation, analysis, implementation and evaluation of social policies toward children, youth and families. The website contains information about the Institute and its programs, a comprehensive collection of links to US university based, policy research centers and other policy and program links, online publications in PDF format, and access to its Clearinghouse on International Developments in Child, Youth and Family Policies.
Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison - a national center for research into the causes of poverty and inequality in the United States.
Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), Washington, DC - a public policy research organisation dedicated to informing and stimulating debate on public policy issues of critical importance to women and their families. IWPR focuses on issues of poverty and welfare, employment and earnings, work and family issues, health and domestsic violence, and women's civic and political participation. The website offers publications, many online, information about current research, and links to Web resources.
National Center for Children and Families, Columbia University - the Center produces and applies policy-relevant, interdisciplinary research to improve practice and public understanding of social issues that impact on the well-being of America's children and families. The website offers details of research projects, publications and presentations, and research and training opportunities.
Sloan Work and Family Research Network, Boston College - supports research and teaching, promotes best practice at the workplace, and informs state policy on issues that affect the lives of working families and the places where they work. The website offers resources for research and teaching, workplace practice , and state policy.
Vanier Institute of the Family - a Canadian national nongovernment organisation that researches the demographic, economic, social and health influences on contemporary family life. In French and English the website aims to build public understanding of important issues and trends critical to the well-being and healthy functioning of Canadian families. Contents include many online resources such as a Family and Health Newsletter, back issues of the journal Transitions, Family Trends Essays and answers to frequently asked questions about the family.

South Africa

Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) - the Council has a dual mission encompassing research and funding activities. The extensive website includes research programs, topical issues, media releases, discussion documents, online databases, services, conferences and seminars.

Professional Associations

Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) - The Academy is an autonomous, non-governmental organisation, devoted to the advancement of knowledge and research in the various social sciences. Its membership comprises those who have achieved a very high level of scholarly distinction, recognised internationally. Included on the site are: a listing of Academy Fellows, research projects initiated by the Academy, international programs, the full text of Dialogue: the Academy Newsletter, information about publications from research projects, workshops, and occasional papers, and links to other relevant bodies.
American Psychological Association - the APA's PsychNET offers a range of information resources including a public interest section of current issues, policy, practice and education information, selected stories from the APA Monitor, publications and APA conferences.
American Sociological Association - includes new publications, forthcoming conferences and meetings, 1996 Guide to Graduate Departments, and a Directory of Sociologists in Policy and Practice.
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) - a comprehensive site offering information and services for the professional social worker as well as for those interested in finding more out about the profession. Information about acceptance of overseas qualifications, schools of social work in Australia, positions vacant, a collection of online publications including submissions to government inquiries, are among the resources available.
Australian Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association - The overall aim of the Association is to actively promote the mental health and well being of infants, children, adolescents and their families or carers. Activities include conference organisation, distribution of newsletters, development of a membership base, consumer involvement, establishment of the website and completion of Commonwealth funded projects.
Australian Population Association - the Association's aims are to encourage the exchange of information between individuals and organisations in population and related fields, to provide a forum for the discussion of population issues, and to promote population research and education particularly in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Topics of interest, tables of contents of its Journal and full text of the newsletter Demoz, and other useful demography links are available from the website.
Australian Psychological Society (APS) - this site includes membership information, professional and student services, psych resources on the net, other organisations and university psychology departments, conference diary.
Early Childhood Australia Inc. - the peak early childhood advocacy organisation in Australia, acting in the interests of young children, their families and those in the early childhood field. With branches throughout Australia the website includes membership and networking information, news, policies, code of ethics , quality assurance information, publications, conferences and events.
European Society on Family Relations - a multidisciplinary, non-profit organization of family researchers. The Society aims to promote excellence in the scientific study of family relations in context by bringing together European family researchers.
International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development - ISSBD promotes the discovery, dissemination, and application of scientific knowledge about behavioural development throughout the life span. The site provides information about the society, its membership, resources, workshops and conferences, newsletters and publications, which include the International Journal of Behavioural Development, published by Psychology Press and online to subscribers.
International Sociological Association - founded under the auspices of Unesco to represent sociology, the site provides information on its 50 research committees including one on family research, working groups, conferences and abstracts project.
Marriage and Relationship Educators' Association of Australia Inc. - MEAA was constituted in 1995, to meet the professional needs of marriage educators throughout Australia. Marriage Education is an adult education activity designed to inform and enrich marriage relationships.
National Council on Family Relations (US) - membership organization for sharing knowledge and information on families for researchers, educators, policy and practicing professionals. Publisher of 'Family Relations' and 'Journal of Marriage and the Family' and an extensive list of other publications, audio and video tapes.
The Australian Sociological Association(TASA) - a comprehensive collection of internet resources in sociology designed to facilitate teaching and research and the professional development of members. In addition to membership and information for the profession topics include: sociology of health, food and nutrition, gender and sexuality, teaching sociology, careers information, sociology links and searches.
Scholarly Societies Project - an initiative of the University of Waterloo Library, provides links to more than 1000 professional and scholarly societies worldwide organised by subject and searchable by keywords.
Victorian Association of Family Therapists Inc (VAFT) - VAFT is committed to the development and advancement of leadership and excellence in family therapy through fostering professional competency and integrity. The site offers information about family therapy, resources, membership, student information, accredited training courses, news and professional development events.

Universities

Australian University websites
Australian Digital Theses (ADT) Project - this project aims to establish a distributed database of digital versions of theses produced by postgraduate research students at participating institutions. Current partipants are: University of New South Wales, Australian National University, Curtin University of Technology, Griffith University, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, and the University of Sydney.
Yahoo's Universities and Colleges by Country

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