Dr Christiane Purcal

Overview

Dr Christiane Purcal is a Research Associate at the Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales. Her research focuses on the organisation, implementation and evaluation of social policy programs regarding informal and formal care provision. She conducts research on disability policy, child care, informal carer policies, and child and family services. Recent projects include Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grants on grandparents who raise their grandchildren, on child care, and on young carers; evaluations of individual funding approaches for disability support; and the national evaluation of the Australian Government’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. Christiane’s first career was in journalism, and she has worked as a journalist and academic researcher in Germany, Canada and Australia.

Publications

Recent Journal Articles
Fisher, K.R., Parker, S. and Purcal, C. (2009), ‘Measuring the effectiveness of new approaches to housing support policy for persons with disabilities’, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 68 (3), 319-332

Purcal, C. and Fisher, K.R. (2007), ‘Balancing qualified staff requirements with shortage of recruits in child care – The NSW experience’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 42 (3), 387-99.

Purcal, C. and Fisher, K.R. (2006), ‘Affordability funding models for early childhood services’, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 31 (4), 49-58.

Recent Reports
Fisher, K.R., Gleeson, R., Edwards, R., Purcal, C., Sitek, T., Dinning, B., Laragy, C., D'aegher, L. and Thompson, D., (2010). Effectiveness of individual funding approaches for disability support, Occasional Paper Number 29, Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Muir, K., Katz, I., Purcal, C. , Patulny, R., Flaxman, S., Abelló, D., Cortis, N., Thomson, C., Oprea, I., Wise, S., Edwards, B., Gray, M. and Hayes, A. (2009), National evaluation (2004–2008) of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004–2009, Occasional Paper no. 24, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), Canberra.

Cortis, N., Purcal, C., Patulny, R., Thompson, D. and Oprea, I. (2009), National evaluation (2004–2008) of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004–2009, Appendix B: Invest to Grow Evaluation and Progress Reports Summary, SPRC Report, prepared for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Patulny, R., Flaxman, S., Purcal, C. , Muir, K., Oprea, I. and Longden, T. (with assistance from SFCS consortium) (2009), National evaluation (2004–2008) of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004–2009, Appendix C: CFC Service Coordination Study, SPRC Report, prepared for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Purcal, C. , Thomson, C., Flaxman, S., Abelló, D., Spooner, C., Muir, K. and Chan, S. (2008), National evaluation (2004–2008) of the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy 2004–2009, Appendix G: CFC Fieldwork Report, SPRC Report, prepared for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA internal report).

Brennan, D. (ed.) (2008), contributors: Brennan, D., Blaxland, M., Press, F., Purcal, C. and Ner, S., Building an International Research Collaboration in Early Childhood Education and Care: Background Materials for a Workshop Funded by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY), Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW.

Fisher, K.R., Parker, S., Purcal, C., Thaler, O., Abelson, P., Pickering, E., Robinson, S. and Griffiths, M. (2008), Effectiveness of supported living in relation to shared accommodation', SPRC Report 18/08, report prepared for the Disability Policy and Research Working Group, November 2008.

Fisher, K.R., Parker, S., Purcal, C., Thaler, O., Abelson, P., Pickering, E., Robinson, S. and Griffiths, M. (2008), Effectiveness of supported living in relation to shared accommodation - Short Report', SPRC Report 17/08, report prepared for the Disability Policy and Research Working Group, November 2008.

Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: National Evaluation Consortium (2008), Stronger Families and Communities Strategy National Evaluation: Baseline Report on Communities for Children Process Evaluation, SPRC Report 1/08, report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, November 2007.

Fisher, K.R., Purcal, C. and Flaxman, S. (2007), Young People with Disability Living in Residential Aged Care Research Agenda, report prepared for the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care.

Thomson C., Katz, I., Cortis, N. and Purcal, C. (2005), Stronger Families and Communities Strategy: National Evaluation Framework, report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Families and Community Services.

Purcal, C. and Fisher, K.R. (2004a), Early Childhood Teachers Interim Policy Review (PDF), SPRC Report 5/04 report prepared for the NSW Department of Community Services, December 2003.

Purcal, C. and Fisher, K.R. (2004b), Preschool Affordability Models Literature Review, report prepared for the NSW Department of Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre, March.

Purcal, C. (1994), Civic Parties. A Study of the Structure and Functions of Political Associations in the Canadian City of Vancouver (in German), University of Oldenburg Press.

Recent Conference presentations
Purcal C., and Thomson C. (2009), ‘Policies for young carers: support, alleviation or prevention?, paper presented at the Young Carers Project Seminar, 27 November.

Purcal C., Blaxland, M., Skattebol, J. and Brennan, D. (2009), ‘Integrated services: voices and silences from Australian history’, paper presented at the National Investment for the Early Years (NIFTeY)/Centre for Community Child Health (CCCH) Conference, 16 February.

Purcal C., Muir, K., Patulny, R., Thomson, C., Flaxman, S. and Spooner, C. (2009), ‘The impact of an area-based early intervention program on partnerships among service providers’, Society for Prevention Research 17th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 27 May.

Purcal C., Muir, K., Patulny, R., Thomson, C., Flaxman, S. and Spooner, C. (2009), ‘The impact of the Communities for Children program on partnerships among service providers’, paper presented at, An Inclusive Society, Practicalities and Possibilities, the 11th Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney, 10 July

Purcal C., Cass, B., Hamilton, M., Thomson, C. and Brennan, D. (2009), ‘From support to prevention: policies and services for young carers’, paper presented at, An Inclusive Society, Practicalities and Possibilities, the 11th Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney, 10 July