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New parenthood is demanding and can negatively impact socially, emotionally and financially on family members particularly those already experiencing stress due to poverty or hardship, mental illness or isolation. Vulnerable parents are at risk of lower self-efficacy in parenting and less positive relationships with their children. Sing&Grow is a federally funded music therapy programme utilizing group parent–child music therapy sessions, aimed at reducing the impact of adversity and improving child future trajectories. In this interview study, ten Sing&Grow participants from across Australia discussed their experiences of the Sing&Grow programme and the influence upon their family life. Participants perceived that the programme had developed their confidence as parents by increasing their knowledge in child development and parenting skills. Improved parental self-efficacy appeared to translate into enhanced family relationships. While Sing&Grow targets vulnerable parents, these findings suggest the programme may be valuable for all new parents.

Research brief outlining key findings from the RAMSR project in 2020 - 2021.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit Australia in 2020, lockdown restrictions meant that the lives of tertiary students’ and mothers underwent substantial adjustment. Universities quickly adapted to full online learning with implications for accessibility and efficacy of online technologies, and home environments suitable for learning. Mothers who were studying at university had to readjust their study, work, care and home responsibilities to home-school their children around others in the home, further complicating the boundaries of work/family life. This study aimed to understand how Covid-19 affected mothers as pre-service teaching students within a university education faculty, exploring mothers’ perceptions of university supports and their effectiveness. Eight mothers participated in the study using narrative inquiry and feminist methodology. The data shows effects of the pandemic were both negative (heightened stress, financial strain, less sleep) and positive (stronger family bonds, partners more involved in childcare). Recommendations for improved supports do not only apply within a pandemic context, and include opportunities for affordable childcare, more flexible study options and more financial incentives. Overall, universities need to acknowledge mothers as an important demographic who have caring responsibilities, and work to ensure a more equitable experience for this marginalised group of students.

Introduction Self-regulation (the ability to regulate emotion, attention, cognition and behaviour) is an integral part of early learning competence in the years prior to school. Self-regulation skills are critical to ongoing learning behaviours, achievement and well-being. Emerging neurological evidence suggests coordinated music and movement participation could support self-regulation development for all children. A pilot study in 2016 introduced a coordinated music and movement programme designed to boost self-regulation skills in children in disadvantaged communities, delivered by visiting specialists, with promising findings. The intervention is based on the neuroscience of beat synchronisation, rhythmic entrainment and the cognitive benefits of music therapy and music education—and is called Rhythm and Movement for Self-Regulation (RAMSR). This study builds on the pilot by training regular teachers to deliver RAMSR in their classrooms (rather than visiting specialists). The study aims to establish the effectiveness of RAMSR, which is designed to translate the cognitive benefits that accrue from rhythm participation to address self-regulation for children who do not typically access high-quality music programmes. Methods and analysis We will recruit 237 children from up to eight kindergartens in low socioeconomic areas. Intervention: teachers will be trained to deliver the RAMSR intervention during group time in kindergartens, daily for 8 weeks. Control: usual practice kindergarten programme. Follow-up: end of intervention using child assessments and teacher report; 12 months postbaseline using school teacher reports following school transition. Primary outcomes: executive function and self-regulation. Secondary outcomes: school readiness; visual-motor integration; teacher-reported behaviour problems, school transition and academic competency; teacher knowledge, confidence, practice and attitudes related to self-regulation, rhythm and move

Musical mothering: Middle-class strategies and affect across generations is an intergenerational sociological study of ten middle-class mothers exploring the relationship between music and women’s mothering practices. Applying Bourdieu’s conceptual toolkit and feminist mothering theory, the study reveals a diversity of mothers’ stories to illustrate the joys and tensions in cultivating musical children. The findings show that music affords women deeper family connections, increased well-being and a means to be perceived as ‘good’ mothers. This study contributes to intergenerational studies of music and family life, highlighting how engagement with music – formally and informally – has significant consequences for mothering practices in Australia.

This article investigates the connection between musical mothering and morality, where involvement in musical practices provides middle-class women opportunities to validate their mothering. Previous studies of intensive mothering and concerted cultivation indicate struggles with competitiveness, perfectionism and anxiety. However, there is a scarcity of research that looks closely at the diversity of women’s experiences of mothering, particularly through the lens of music as a social practice. This intergenerational sociological study of Australian women applies Bourdieusian and feminist theory to expand music education research by analysing the intersection of music, motherhood, gender, class and generation. This article explores excerpts from the musical life stories of three mother–daughter relationships and the ways in which they produce musical children and maintain musical selves. The findings highlight the diversity within middle-class motherhood and the differing ways in which the field of mothering, family habitus and music are negotiated to construct musical and mothering subjectivities.

Sing and Grow (Sing&Grow) is a federally-funded music therapy program with key objectives to develop positive communication and social experiences for parents of young children through group musical interventions. This report details a national evaluation project conducted in 2019. The research questions were: 1.Do Sing&Grow parent participants report increased parenting self-efficacy over time? 2.Do Sing&Grow parent participants report increased parenting responsiveness over time? 3.Do Sing&Grow parent participants report an increase in home uses of music with children? 4.Do Sing&Grow child participants show improvements in parent-reported self-regulation over time? 5.How do past participants describe the impact of Sing&Grow on their family and their child’s transition to school? Two phases of the study were conducted: Study Phase A - the Quantitative stage – collected pre and post survey data from 318 parent participants. Findings included statistically significant improvements from pre to post intervention for:•two parenting self-efficacy scales of discipline and play•parental use of music at home•children’s cognitive self-regulation. Study Phase B – the Qualitative stage – collected interview data from 10 participants through telephone or online video link, using semi-structured interviews of approximately 20 minutes duration. The findings suggested that participation in the Sing&Grow program encouraged social connectedness through promoting inclusivity, belonging and confidence boosting. Positive relationships were evidenced by improved bonding, and stronger relationships between siblings, caregivers and children. Parents believed the program educated them about child development, culturally accepted parenting and gave them parenting tools. Parent-reported benefits for children include developing confidenc

The thesis reports the prevalence and impact of Hearing Impairment on hospitalised adults. Prevalence and severity of hearing impairment were significantly higher than previously reported levels for age matched adults in the Australian population. The results highlighted systemic quality and safety risks for people with hearing impairment in acute care.