Better research leads to better relationships

The Centre for Better Relationships is the research, advocacy and policy arm of Better Place Australia, and serves as an invaluable resource for our many projects and initiatives. The Centre’s targeted and insightful research supports our commitment to helping Australians lead a better life through fostering stronger relationships. 

This year, the Centre has focused on several key projects, including: 

1. An invisible form of control. Research into coercive control within family dynamics.
2. A dual pathway towards a single outcome. The co-design of a new elder abuse prevention program.
3. Letting data lead the way. Comprehensive data collection.
4. Older Australian’s approach to aged care. Publication of research papers on elder abuse. 

An invisible form of control

Coercive Control is a type of family violence but often goes unnoticed due to its subtle nature. In many cases it continues plaguing relationships without ever being identified and resolved. The Centre’s initial survey of family counsellors and mediators found challenges in recognising the signs of Coercive Control across family dynamics. 

Ongoing research activities has spurred more in-depth training of practitioners so they can better grasp the subtleties of Coercive Control to equip clients with the tools and strategies to overcome this form of control. 

A dual pathway towards a single outcome 

The Centre received funding from the Jack Brockhoff Foundation to explore gaps in existing elder abuse prevention services. The Respect My Home research project team identified the biggest gap as the absence of a referral pathway for perpetrators. 

The research findings will inform the design and development of an innovative model of care with a dual response that involves providing quality of care to both victims and perpetrators. This model will position Better Place Australia as the first organisation of its kind to undertake such an initiative in the elder abuse prevention space.  

Letting data lead the way 

Data collection sits at the heart of the Centre’s work. Whether it’s data on demographics or data from one of its programs, the findings are instrumental in driving research that could have a real and significant impact on people’s lives.

The older person’s approach to aged care 

One of the Centre’s latest research proposals revolves around the older person’s transition into aged care. This eventual publication aims to provide those in the aged care industry with a solid foundation upon which to build their work – whether in academia or human-centered design research.