Using Parenting Research and Findings • Parenting Today

Findings and insights that are designed to be used

Policymakers and government can use the findings to support policy development and decision-making.

Practitioners and services can draw on the findings to inform programs, service design and engagement with families.

Researchers and academics can use the survey to better understand contemporary parenting experiences, wellbeing and support needs.

Parents, communities and the media can also use the findings to support more informed public conversations about the realities, strengths and challenges shaping family life in Australia today.

Pacific Islander father teaching his cute little son to ride bicycle, active lifestyles concept.

Explore the published findings...

Published Parenting Today reports, briefs and visual resources can be used to better understand parents’ experiences, identify emerging priorities and strengthen conversations about support for families.

Use the findings to:

inform policy development, submissions and investment decisions
support service planning, program design and evaluation
strengthen funding proposals, strategies and business cases
brief leaders, boards, teams and stakeholders
inform workforce development and professional learning
add current evidence to presentations, reports and public communications
identify questions for further research or analysis
support more informed media and community conversations about parenting.

Browse reports and resources

...or talk to us about your evidence needs

The Parenting Today team may be able to provide additional support beyond the published reports and resources.

Tailored briefings: A briefing can provide an overview of relevant findings and their implications for a particular policy, service or strategic context
State and territory summaries: Where sample sizes and analytical quality allow, findings may be reported for individual jurisdictions
Topic or population analysis: The research team may be able to explore a specific question, survey topic or population group not covered in published releases
Additional participant samples: Organisations may be able to request a separately planned, targeted sample of parents or carers whose experiences are not sufficiently represented in the national survey – this work requires suitable recruitment pathways, research governance and separate funding
Future survey content: There may be opportunities to discuss additional survey content for future Parenting Today waves, subject to research priorities, feasibility and funding.

Availability will depend on the research question, sample size, data quality, ethical considerations, timing and resourcing.

Discuss your evidence needs

Using the findings responsibly

Communicate the findings accurately

You may quote and communicate published Parenting Today findings, provided they are represented accurately, attributed appropriately and used with the context and qualifications supplied.

When using the findings:

retain the context and qualifications provided in the source material
distinguish associations from evidence of causation
use published wording and figures accurately
acknowledge Parenting Today and the Parenting Research Centre.

Adapt the findings with care

Avoid using findings in ways that stigmatise or generalise about particular parents, families or communities.

Contact the Parenting Today team before:

materially adapting published charts
changing the meaning or emphasis of a finding
attributing an interpretation directly to the research team.

Accessing and acknowledging Parenting Today evidence

Citing Parenting Today

Suggested citation: Parenting Research Centre. Parenting Today: [resource title]. Melbourne: Parenting Research Centre; [year].

Please cite the specific report, Insight Brief, infographic or webpage used. Recommended citation information should be included with each publication.

When referring to Parenting Today findings:

identify Parenting Today as the source
acknowledge the Parenting Research Centre
use the wording, context and qualifications provided in the published resource
cite the specific publication or webpage from which the finding was taken.

Contact the Parenting Today team for advice about attribution, interpretation or permissions.

Future access to data

The Parenting Research Centre is exploring options for making more Parenting Today data available through an accessible online platform. Further information about the scope and timing of public access will be published when arrangements are confirmed.

Using the findings