Our people

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice has collaborated with the NSW-CDS for several years, including formal collaborations as a partner organisation on an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (2011-2016) and a National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Grant (2018-2020). This collaboration is currently focused on using linked data from multiple agencies to optimize the processes for reporting children at highest risk of harm, so that timely and effective interventions can be delivered to those most in need.

Following a formal partnership with the NSW-CDS as on an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (2011-2016), the NSW Ministry of Health has continued its collaboration with the study. The current focus of this collaboration is to identify vulnerable mother-infant dyads that account for very high health service use, which could be used across agencies to develop early intervention services informed by such dyads.

As a NSW-CDS partner organisation on an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (2011-2016), the collaboration between the NSW-CDS and NSW Department of Education was crucial to the successful administration of the Middle Childhood Survey in NSW schools. The NSW Department of Education, particularly the Learning and Wellbeing Unit, has continued this collaboration through a NSW-CDS Education Working Group, which is currently focused on the analysis and dissemination of manuscripts, internal reports and policy briefs of interest to the Department.

We work collaboratively with Gamarada Universal Indigenous Resources (GUIR) to lead Indigenous consultation that facilitates the co-design of research questions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This ensures that the research focus is meaningful to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and that the findings are interpreted in a culturally sensitive manner. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group brings together people from a range of communities in NSW to ensure that cultural perspectives, experiences and recommendations about research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be used effectively to support the lives of all communities, families and young people in Australia.

The NSW-CDS Lived Experience Network is an advisory group comprised of people who have lived experience of mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder), adverse childhood experiences, self-harm and/or suicidal ideation. The young people and carer members of this Network provide constructive guidance and feedback to assist in the development of research questions, and interpretation and dissemination of findings from the NSW-CDS. This Network was established in 2025 and meets every one to two months to discuss topics relevant to improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people and their families.