Dr Megan Blaxland

Overview

Dr Megan Blaxland Dr Megan Blaxland joined the Social Policy Research Centre in 2007. Her research interest is Australian and comparative family policy analysis. Her research experience has included projects on income support programs for families, early childhood education and care, and policies to support the competing work and family commitments of families. In conducting this research, Megan has used feminist and everyday life research methodologies and drawn on theories of care and theories of respect and recognition. Megan is currently working on an ARC funded project - Familes at the Centre: Care and Education of Young Children.

Research Summary

Family policy, social security and income support, early childhood education and care, child care, comparative welfare regime analysis, grandparents bringing up grandchildren, unpaid care work, gender division of labour

Publications

Smyth, C., Blaxland, M. and Cass, B. (2010). ‘So that’s how I found out I was a young carer and that I actually had been a carer most of my life’ Identifying and supporting hidden young carers'. Journal of Youth Studies. DOI 10.1080/13676261.2010.506524.

Fisher, K.R., Shang, X., and Blaxland, M. (2010), ‘Review Article: human rights based social policies challenges for China’, Social Policy and Society, 10 (1), 71-77.

Fisher, K.R., Shang, X and Blaxland, M. (2010), ‘Introduction: Moving towards human rights based social policy in China’, Social Policy and Society, 10 (1), 67-69.

Blaxland, M. (2010), 'Mothers and mutual obligation: reforming the good mother through welfare', in Goodwin, S. and Huppitz, K. (eds.), The Good Mother: Explorations of Contemporary Maternal Experience, University of Sydney, Sydney, 131-51.

Craig, L., Mullan, K. and Blaxland, M. (2010), 'Parenthood, policy and work-family time in Australia 1992-2006' , Work, Employment and Society 24 (1), 27-45.

Cass, B., Smyth, C., Hill, T., Blaxland, M., Hamilton, M., (2009) 'Young carers in Australia:understanding the advantages and disadvantages of their care giving', Social Policy Research Paper No. 38, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Canberra.

Brennan D., Blaxland, M. and Tannous, K. (2009), A Strategic Assessment of the Children's Services Industry (PDF), A paper prepared for the Children's Services Subcommittee of the Community Services and Disability Services Ministerial Advisory Council.

Blaxland, M. (2008), 'Early childhood education and care policy audits: Australia', in Brennan, D. (ed.), 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, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, February.

Blaxland, M. (2008), 'Early childhood education and care policy audits: Canada', in Brennan, D. (ed.), 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, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, February.

Blaxland, M. (2008), 'Early childhood education and care policy audits: United Kingdom', in Brennan, D. (ed.), 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, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, February.

Blaxland, M. (2008), 'Early childhood education and care policy audits: Sweden', in Brennan, D. (ed.), 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, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, February.

The full report: Building an International Research Collaboration in Early Childhood Education and Care: Background Materials for a Workshop (PDF) is also available.