Policy development & program management research

ORIMA has conducted research with a diverse range of people to inform public policy development and program management, including identifying:

• individual and group behaviour and attitudes;
• motivators to action; and
• barriers to action.

Case studies

• Case study #1 – Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA)

  The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) is the Australian Government's principal source of advice on social policy and is responsible for about a quarter of the government's budgetary outlays. FaCSIA works in partnership with other government and non-government organisations in the management of a diverse range of programs and services designed to support and improve the lives of Australians.

  The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) is a joint Commonwealth and State/Territory support program assisting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to achieve the maximum possible degree of self-reliance and independence.

  FaCSIA commissioned ORIMA Research to undertake exploratory qualitative research in relation to SAAP to assess the effectiveness of the SAAP arrangements for clients and service providers. The research explored:

  • the nature of the SAAP client base;
  • awareness of, and demand for, SAAP services;
  • the role, function and usage of SAAP services;
  • the variation and impact of the services delivered;
  • success factors for SAAP services;
  • barriers to accessing services; and
  • gaps within the SAAP system.

• Case study #2 – Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA)

  FaCSIA commissioned ORIMA Research to conduct exploratory qualitative research with Australian families about their experiences with, and expectations of, early childhood.

  The overall aim of the research was to collect qualitative information from Australian families about:

  • the particular supports/services/information they were accessing, or had accessed, during the first five years of their child’s life;
  • how they found out about these supports;
  • how useful and helpful these supports were;
  • any barriers that families may have experienced in accessing these supports; and
  • additional supports that may have been useful for them in the first five years of their child’s life.

  The research informed the development of the National Agenda for Early Childhood.

  A copy of our report is publicly available at: A Report on the Qualitative Research into Parents, Children and Early Childhood Services