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Since 2007, research and evaluation have been major areas of development within Ngala. Ngala has actively promoted a research culture, developing research and evaluation frameworks in consultation with our university and research partners.

Ngala’s Research and Evaluation Frameworks support the development of a sustainable interdisciplinary research agenda for work in parenting and childhood. Evaluation at Ngala adopts an action research approach. Our purpose is to support parents, families and communities through our way of responding to their changing needs, and measuring our impact to inform the next implementation of the program.

Ngala’s Research and Evaluation policy aligns with Ngala’s strategic and business plans and is responsive to the needs of communities by providing evidence-informed services. The Research and Evaluation policy ensures a robust research and evaluation strategy and process which seeks to build relationships with universities, other researchers, community agencies and consumers of services. It aims to support the creation and maintenance of an organisational culture that underpins an evidence-informed organisation and provide direction for staff at all levels on their roles and responsibilities.

Reports Published in 2021

18 October 2021 –

Together with Anglicare WA, Ngala has launched a report on Reducing Poverty and Improving Child Development in WA.

There is a straight-forward, evidence-backed solution to ending child poverty in Western Australia, Ngala and Anglicare WA launched the Reducing Poverty and Improving Child Development in WA joint report during Anti Poverty Week 2021 addressing this issue.

WA has the third-highest rate of child poverty in the nation, with nearly 95,000 children living in poverty. Severe child poverty has risen substantially in the last decade.

The Reducing Poverty and Improving Child Development in WA Report has highlighted the impact of poverty on children through a comprehensive review of relevant research, along with successful initiatives to address the issue and accounts of lived experience.

The Report found children who grow up in poverty face significant challenges to their social, emotional, and physical development that have life-long impacts on health and wellbeing both in childhood and into their adult years.

It identified four key actions to lift children permanently from poverty and improve their growth and development:
•  Provision of adequate income support for families
•  Universal access to early childhood education and care
•  Provision of targeted early intervention supports to meet each child’s needs
•  Prioritise the rights of children and their development, health, and wellbeing

To Read The Full Report click here

To download the Snapshot, click here

Research Priorities 2021 – 2024

• Sociology of family and relationships
• Mental health
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing
• Child and adolescent development
• Community development
• Program evaluation

Research Partnerships

Ngala develops and builds relationships with key universities and agencies related to research. The Research Advisory Network provides a forum for Ngala, universities, and researchers to share knowledge and ideas that allow Ngala services and programs to be evidence-informed and innovative. In providing a platform to share knowledge and ideas, the Research Advisory Network contributes to the growing child development and parenting research evidence base.

Current Research Advisory Network membership includes Executive Managers and key Ngala staff. External members include:

• Dr Dawson Cooke – School of Nursing, Curtin University
• Dr Lisa Gibson – Telethon Kids Institute & UWA
• Dr Amy Finlay-Jones, Telethon Kids Institute & UWA
• Assoc. Prof. Vicki Banham – School of Psychology & Social Science, Edith Cowan University
• Dr Garth Kendall – School of Nursing, Curtin University
• Dr Cecily Strange – School of Population and Global Health, UWA
• Jayne Kotz – Ngangk Yira Research Centre for Aboriginal Health and Social Equity, Murdoch University
• Dr Catherine Archer – College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences, Murdoch University

Research opportunities

Ngala encourages collaborative research opportunities and welcomes submissions from relevant stakeholders with interests that align with our research priorities.

Student research opportunities are also supported. This may include support with promotion of their study, recruitment, resources, or a more formal partnership. Postgraduate students are encouraged to consider Ngala’s research priority areas.

If you are interested in a research partnership, would like to support a student research project, or are a student with a research project, please complete the Research Enquiry Form and email to [email protected].

Volunteer research assistants are always welcome.

Published Research

Ngala publishes in relevant Australian and international journals, and presents papers and posters at relevant conferences.

Ngala’s published research and journal articles 2003 – 2022.

For queries about the research listed or other information, please contact [email protected].

Ngala is proud to support others on selected projects, including:

SMS4Dads – Provides new fathers with information and connections to online services through their mobile phones.
The ORIGINS project – The largest study of its kind in Australia, following 10,000 families over a decade to improve child and adult health.
The Mummy Buddy project – Improving the wellbeing and mental health of new mums.
Beacon Cyber safety app – An educational app designed to keep parents and carers up to date with trusted, tailored information, to help keep their kids safe online.
Bright Tomorrows – The Bright Tomorrows initiative was formed to give parents, carers and others who care about or for children some of the tools they need to give all children the best start to life.
Baby Coming You Ready – An innovation designed to support the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents-to-be and new parents.

An early start

Ngala’s story began in 1890 as ‘The House of Mercy’, a refuge and maternity home for young pregnant women. It later became known as the Alexandra Home for Women.

Strong social pressures and stigma for unmarried mothers to relinquish their babies resulted in many who were born in the home being fostered or adopted. This practice continued until the 1980s. Ngala acknowledges the trauma that the forced adoption era caused many families, and we sincerely regret the role that our organisation has played in what we now know to be a harmful practice.

In 1949, the Alexandra Home for Women opened its first training facility in WA for Mothercraft nurses. It was named Alexandra Home for Mothers and Babies and Mothercraft Training School, and later, changed to Ngala Mothercraft Home and Training Centre Inc.

The name Ngala was chosen from Aboriginal Noongar language and means ‘we two, the dual between parents and children’. The Centre soon included infant health nurse training (now child health nursing) for registered nurses and midwives.

A new direction

Ngala’s first Childcare Centre opened in 1971 with places for 54 children. It was one of a very few registered not-for-profit day nurseries in Perth, in response to a community need for affordable childcare.

During the 1980s, Ngala changed its focus to a family-centred approach and was no longer involved in out of home care for children or Mothercraft training. Child Health Nursing training was transferred to Curtin University in 1985.

100 years of service

In 1990, the early Child Health Hotline began operating out of hours by child health nurses, which laid the foundation for the Ngala Helpline (now known as the Ngala Parenting Line).

Exciting new evidence emerged about early brain development and perinatal mental health, which was used to improve Ngala’s services. We embraced a holistic approach to early parenting education and support.

In 1995, a move to the current Kensington premises marked a new growth period for Ngala Family Resource Centre, as it was known. Expansion began into the community in outer metropolitan and country areas with group and education programs.

The 1990s also marked the beginning of Ngala’s strong partnership approach. Our focus on working with the whole family, not just mothers and babies, positioned Ngala to champion father inclusive practice in the early years with our Hey Dad program, now DadsWA.

2021 and beyond

Today, Ngala operates across Western Australia, and continues to use the latest internal and external research and training, alongside community stories and experiences to develop and deliver services that meet the needs of today’s parents and children.

*Ngala sincerely regrets the trauma caused to parents, children and families by past adoption practices. You can read our statement of apology here.

129 years of history in WA communities

Humble beginnings

Ngala’s story began in 1890, and was known as ‘The House of Mercy’, a refuge and maternity home for young pregnant women. It later became known as Alexandra Home for Women.

The Home’s policy was to keep mothers and babies together as much as possible. However, many babies born in the Home were fostered or adopted. This practice continued until the 1980s. The separation from family had significant impacts for many.

In 1949, the Alexandra House for Women opened their first training facility in WA for mothercraft nurses. It was named Alexandra Home for Mothers and Babies and Mothercraft Training School, and later, changed to Ngala Mothercraft Home and Training Centre Inc. Ngala was chosen from Aboriginal Noongar language and means ‘We two, the dual between parents and children’. The centre soon included infant health nurse training (now child health nursing) for registered nurses and midwives.

A new direction

Ngala’s first Childcare centre opened in 1971 with places for 54 children. It was one of very few registered not-for-profit day nurseries in Perth in response to a community need for affordable childcare.

During the 1980s, Ngala changed its focus to family-centred approaches. Ngala was no longer involved in out of home care for children or mothercraft training. Child Health Nursing training was transferred to Curtin University in 1985.

100 years of service

In 1990, the early Child Health Hotline began operating out of hours by child health nurses, which laid the foundation for the Ngala Helpline (now Ngala Parenting Line).

Exciting new evidence emerged about early brain development and perinatal mental health, which was used to improve Ngala’s services. We embraced a holistic approach to early parenting education and support.

In 1995, a move to the current Kensington premises marked a new growth period for Ngala Family Resource Centre, as it was known. Expansion began into the community in outer metropolitan and country areas with group and education programs.

The 1990s also marked the beginning of Ngala’s strong partnership approach. Our focus on working with the whole family, not just mothers and babies, positioned Ngala to champion father inclusive practice in the early years with our Hey Dad program, now DadsWA.

2019 and beyond

Today, Ngala operates across Western Australia, and continues to use the latest internal and external research and training, alongside community stories and experiences to develop and deliver services that meet the needs of today’s parents and children.

Ngala sincerely regrets the trauma caused to parents and their children and families by past adoption practices. We commend the formal apologies by the State and Federal Governments in 2010 and 2013.