The Centre for Better Relationships (the Centre) is the research and policy division of Better Place Australia. Established in 2019, the Centre conducts research and policy analysis in the field of family and social welfare. We conduct ethical applied research in line with the values and mission of Better Place Australia.
To become a research leader in the family and relationships field dedicated to improving the lives of people and their families through meaningful research, knowledge translation and dissemination of research to a wide range of audiences.
We are committed to working in partnership with policy makers and non-government organisations to understand the relationship challenges facing Australian families and to developing evidence-based policy and practice responses. We conduct high quality, needs-driven research to support the work of Better Place Australia, to improve client outcomes and contribute to best practice principles in the sector.
Rainbow family formation and dissolution in Australia a scoping review of academic literature.
A summary of experience and practice observations in responding to elder abuse through the Respecting Elders service.
An examination of debt and poverty amongst 1900+ users of financial counselling service.
This brief review provides an overview of academic and grey literature relating to specialist mental health interventions in aged care facilities.
Dr Rachel Bonnici has worked as a researcher for many years with expertise in qualitative research design and analysis. She has worked for not-for-profits including membership organisations such as the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. Rachel’s interests lie in researching and collaborating with marginalised communities such as Aboriginal communities, individuals who are drug affected and women experiencing family violence. She has a particular skill in preparing briefings and condensing complex information.
Dr Laila Hugrass is a researcher and data analyst. She has conducted research in the fields of psychology and cognitive neuroscience at La Trobe University, Swinburne University and Australian Catholic University. Laila holds an adjunct research position at La Trobe University, where is she is currently studying her Master of Art Therapy. Laila has expertise in data management, applied statistics, quantitative analyses, data visualisation, and data storytelling. She is passionate about communicating research findings to non-academic audiences in an engaging and accessible manner.
Better Place Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Elders in each of the communities where we work.
