Melissa O'Donnell

Prof Melissa O'Donnell

Research Professor

Australian Centre of Child Protection

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Melissa O’Donnell is Professor and Deputy Director, Research at the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia. Melissa is an internationally recognised researcher in the area of child maltreatment and vulnerable children and families and has utilised population-based linked administrative data for over 15 years to contribute new knowledge and evidence. The main focus of her research program includes: i) risk and protective factors for vulnerability to child abuse and neglect; ii) outcomes for children in care; and iii) infant removals by the child protection system.  Melissa collaborates with government and non-government partners to ensure research addresses areas of policy and practice and to enable effective translation.
 

Year Citation
2025 Mendes, P., Roche, S., Kristo, I., O'Donnell, M., Moore, T., Malvaso, C., . . . McDowall, J. (2025). The Introduction of Extended Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) Until 21 Years in Australia: A Mapping of Policy, Legislation and Programs in Each Jurisdiction. Australian Journal of Social Issues, online(3), 1-12.
DOI Scopus7 WoS6
2025 Atalell, K. A., Pereira, G., Duko, B., Nyadanu, S. D., O’donnell, M., & Tessema, G. A. (2025). Prenatal and early childhood exposure to biothermal stress and developmental vulnerability at school entry in Western Australia: a population-based cohort study. Environment International, 202(109642), 109642-1-109642-8.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2025 Lima, F., O'Donnell, M., Gibberd, A. J., Falster, K., Banks, E., Jones, J., . . . Eades, S. (2025). The physical and mental health of mothers of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care in Western Australia. Australian Journal Of Social Issues, online(3), 1-12.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Mucabel-Bue, N., Onwuka, S., Gray, P., O'Donnell, M., Herrman, H., Gayde, R., . . . Krakouer, J. (2025). ‘Keeping Ourselves Safe From the System’: Perinatal Care Model Considerations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families Intersecting With Child Protection. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 14 pages.
DOI
2025 Chikwava, F., Cordier, R., Ferrante, A., & O'Donnell, M. (2025). Resilience and mental health among care leavers: Role of social inclusion, self-determination, and independent living skills. Child Abuse and Neglect, 165(107489), 1-16.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Paulsen, V., Wendelborg, C., Thoresen, S. H., Parsons, L., Chung, D., O'Donell, M., . . . Cordier, R. (2025). Research protocol of a multifaceted, comparative mixed-method study: young people transitioning from out-of-home care in Norway and Australia - Interrelationships between policies, pathways, and outcomes. PLoS ONE, 20(5, article no. 0323948), 1-12.
DOI
2025 Harrap, B., Gibberd, A., Donnell, M. O., Simons, K., & Eades, S. (2025). Potentially preventable hospitalisations for Aboriginal children with experience of out-of-home care: a data linkage study. Australian And New Zealand Journal Of Public Health, 49(3, article no. 100249), 1-9.
DOI Europe PMC1
2025 Tucker, E., O'Donnell, M., Krakouer, J., & Octoman, O. (2025). Reinvolvement after returning home: a systematic review of the factors associated with post-reunification child protection involvement. Child Abuse & Neglect, 167(107515), 1-15.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Bryant, C., Bayliss, D., O'Donnell, M., Usher, R., & Maclean, M. (2025). Young mothers with experience of out-of-home care and intergenerational risk of child removal. Child Abuse & Neglect: the international journal, 167(107599), 1-12.
DOI
2025 Maclean, M. J., Lima, F., Taplin, S., Marriott, R., Krakouer, J., & O'Donnell, M. (2025). Prenatal and infant reports and child protection involvement: a longitudinal cohort study. Child Maltreatment, online, 1-11.
DOI
2025 Hamilton, S., Maslen, S., Jones, L., Penny, M., Pell, C., Michie, C., . . . Farrant, B. (2025). 'I have to jump like a kangaroo … I have to slither like a snake'. A qualitative evaluation of elder-led art workshops in the child protection sector. Studies In The Education Of Adults, online, 1-21.
DOI
2025 Usher, R., Parsons, L., O'Donnell, M., Walter, B., Thain, E., & Chung, D. (2025). "It's not a normal upbringing": Insights from young mothers with care experience to improve parenting support and prevent intergenerational out-of-home care. Children and Youth Services Review, 179(108593), 1-9.
DOI
2025 Burrow, S., ODonnell, M., Wood, L., Fisher, C., Usher, R., Gayde, R., & Krakouer, J. (2025). Homelessness, family violence and infant removals. Parity, 38(3), 20-22.
2025 Orr, C., Sims, S., Fisher, C. M., O'Donnell, M., Glauert, R. A., & Preen, D. B. (2025). Children exposed to family and domestic violence perpetrated against their mother are at an increased risk of emergency department attendance in childhood. EMA - Emergency Medicine Australasia, 37(1), 1-9.
DOI
2024 Maclean, M. J., Lima, F., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Positive reading achievement outcomes in children who experience out-of-home care: characteristics and predictors. Child Abuse and Neglect, 149(106282), 1-15.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Sims, S. A., Pereira, G., Fatovich, D. M., Preen, D., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Assessing the utility of night-time presentations as a proxy for alcohol-related harm among young emergency department trauma patients. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 36(1), 47-54.
DOI
2024 Lima, F., Taplin, S., Maclean, M., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Infants entering out-of-home care: Health, developmental needs and service provision. Child Abuse and Neglect, 149(106577), 1-14.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC1
2024 Chikwava, F., Cordier, R., Ferrante, A., O'Donnell, M., & Pakpahan, E. (2024). Trajectories of homelessness and association with mental health and substance use disorders among young people transitioning from out-of-home care in Australia. Child Abuse and Neglect, 149(106643), 1-14.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2024 Dhamrait, G., O'Donnell, M., Christian, H., Taylor, C. L., & Pereira, G. (2024). Interpregnancy interval and adverse birth outcomes: a population-based cohort study of twins. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(96 (2024)), 1-13.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Moodie, S., Jones, J., Chenhall, R., Williams, R., Garlett, C., Gibberd, A., . . . Eades, S. (2024). Intersectoral collaboration for supporting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal families and children in out-of-home care: perspectives from Western Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1-13.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Mitrou, F., Milroy, H., Coffin, J., Hamilton, S. L., Brennan-Jones, C. G., Schurer, S., . . . Zubrick, S. R. (2024). Cohort profile: Understanding the influence of early life environments and health and social service system contacts over time and across generations through the Western Australian Aboriginal Child Health Survey (WAACHS) Linked Data Study. BMJ Open, 14(10), e087522-1-e087522-15.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Harrap, B., Gibberd, A., O'Donnell, M., Jones, J., Chenhall, R., McNamara, B., . . . Eades, S. (2024). Mental and neurodevelopmental health needs of Aboriginal children with experience of out-of-home care: a Western Australian data-linkage study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48(5), 1-8.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 O'Donnell, M., Burrow, S., Grose, M., Usher, R., Marriott, R., & Taplin, S. (2024). Child protection proceedings for infants: analysis of court files to identify court outcomes and requirements for families in child protection safety plans. Children and Youth Services Review, 157(107376), 1-10.
DOI
2024 Sims, S. A., Pereira, G., Fatovich, D., Preen, D., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). The hidden impact of alcohol on young victims: an analysis of alcohol-related police offences resulting in hospitalisation. BMC Public Health, 24(1, article no. 206), 1-10.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Lima, F., O'Donnell, M., Gibberd, A. J., Falster, K., Banks, E., Jones, J., . . . Eades, S. (2024). Aboriginal children placed in out-of-home care: pathways through the child protection system. Australian Social Work, 77(4), 471-485.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4
2024 Johnsen, M., O'Donnell, M., Harries, M., & Fisher, C. (2024). Hospital-based healthcare workers' experiences of involvement in perinatal child protection processes: a scoping literature review. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 25(4), 3388-3404.
DOI
2024 Maclean, M., Lima, F., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Investigating positive reading trajectories among children who experienced out-of-home care. Children and Youth Services Review: an international multidisciplinary review of the welfare of young people, 163(107728), 1-12.
DOI
2024 Orr, C., Kelty, E., Belinelo, P., Fisher, C., Glauert, A. R., O'Donnell, M., & Preen, D. B. (2024). Exposure to family and domestic violence in the prenatal period is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for bronchiolitis in children under 2 years. Journal Of Public Health, 46(3), 448-457.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 Hamilton, S. L., Jones, L., Penny, M., Pell, C., Ilich, N., Michie, C., . . . Farrant, B. (2024). Ngulluk Moort, Ngulluk Boodja, Ngulluk Wirin (our family, our country, our spirit): An Aboriginal Participatory Action Research study protocol. PLoS ONE, 19(7, article no. e0301237), 1-16.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2024 Lima, F., Taplin, S., Maclean, M., Octoman, O., Grose, M., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Child protection and developmental trajectories of children who entered care as infants. Child Abuse Review, 33(5, article no. e2900), 1-18.
DOI
2024 Parsons, L., Cordier, R., Chikwava, F., O'Donnell, M., Chung, D., Ferrante, A., . . . Thoresen, S. (2024). Shedding light on the social and health realities of care-experienced young people in Western Australia: a population-level study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 157(107053), 1-17.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2024 Burrow, S., Wood, L., Fisher, C., Usher, R., Gayde, R., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Parents' experiences of perinatal child protection processes: a systematic review and thematic synthesis informed by a socio-ecological approach. Children and Youth Services Review, 166(107960), 1-22.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2023 Orr, C., Fisher, C., Bell, M., O'Donnell, M., Martin, K., Glauert, R., & Preen, D. (2023). Exposure to family and domestic violence is associated with lower attendance and higher suspension in school children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 142(105594), 1-13.
DOI Scopus13 WoS10 Europe PMC2
2023 Orr, C., Kelty, E., Fisher, C., O'Donnell, M., Glauert, R., & Preen, D. B. (2023). The lasting impact of family and domestic violence on neonatal health outcomes. Birth-Issues In Perinatal Care, 50(3), 578-586.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2023 Trew, S., Taplin, S., O'Donnell, M., Marriott, R., & Broadhurst, K. (2023). Parents' experiences with child protection during pregnancy and post-birth. Child & Family Social Work, 28(2), 549-562.
DOI Scopus8 WoS9
2023 Orr, C., Kelty, E., O'Donnell, M., Fisher, C. M., Glauert, R., & Preen, D. B. (2023). Reproductive and sexual health of Australian adolescents exposed to family and domestic violence. Bmj Sexual & Reproductive Health, 49(4), 245-253.
DOI
2023 Robinson, S., Foley, K., Moore, T., Valentine, K., Burton, J., Marshall, A., . . . Brebner, C. (2023). Prioritising Children and Young People with Disability in Research About Domestic and Family Violence: Methodological, Ethical and Pragmatic Reflections. Journal of Family Violence, 38(6), 1191-1204.
DOI Scopus16 WoS13 Europe PMC3
2023 Harrap, B., Gibberd, A., O'Donnell, M., Simons, K., Jones, J., Lima, F., . . . Eades, S. (2023). Cumulative incidence of child protection system contacts among a cohort of Western Australian Aboriginal children born 2000 to 2013. Child Abuse and Neglect, 143(106297), 1-11.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2023 O'Donnell, M., Lima, F., Maclean, M., Marriott, R., & Taplin, S. (2023). Infant and pre-birth involvement with child protection across Australia. Child Maltreatment, 28(4), 608-620.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13 Europe PMC5
2022 Orr, C., Fisher, C., O'Donnell, M., Glauert, R., & Preen, D. B. (2022). Epilepsy in children exposed to family and domestic violence in the first 5 years of life. Journal Of Paediatrics And Child Health, 58(12), 2183-2189.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC5
2022 Sims, S. A., Pereira, G., Preen, D., Fatovich, D., & O'Donnell, M. (2022). Young people with prior health service contacts have increased risk of repeated alcohol-related harm hospitalisations. Drug and Alcohol Review, 41(5), 1226-1235.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2022 Dhamrait, G., O'Donnell, M., Christian, H., & Pereira, G. (2022). Is early childhood development impeded by the birth timing of the younger sibling?. PLoS ONE, 17(5, article no. e0268325), 1-15.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2022 Chamberlain, C., Gray, P., Bennet, D., Elliott, A., O'Donnell, M., & Langton, M. (2022). Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families to Stay Together from the Start (SAFeST Start): urgent call to action to address crisis in infant removals. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 57(2), 252-273.
DOI Scopus43 WoS37 Europe PMC15
2022 O'Donnell, M., Usher, R., Burrow, S., Nguyen, R., McKenzie, A., & Fisher, C. (2022). Victim-survivors, family and domestic violence service providers and support people: identification of priority issues for research and translation into policy and practice. Global Social Welfare, 10(2), 129-138.
DOI
2022 Lima, F., O'Donnell, M., Bourke, J., Wolff, B., Gibberd, A., Llewellyn, G., & Leonard, H. (2022). Child protection involvement of children of mothers with intellectual disability. Child Abuse & Neglect, 126(105515), 1-10.
DOI Scopus21 WoS18 Europe PMC9
2022 Octoman, O., Arney, F., Chong, A., O'Donnell, M., Meiksans, J., Hawkes, M., . . . Taylor, C. (2022). Tailoring service and system design for families known to child protection: a rapid exploratory analysis of the characteristics of families. Child Abuse Review, 31(5, article no. e2762), 1-8.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2022 Doolabh, K., Fisher, C., & O'Donnell, M. (2022). Understanding the dynamics of support seeking in women with lived experience of non-physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and the service responses-a qualitative study. Australian Journal Of Social Issues, 57(4), 861-879.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2022 Chikwava, F., O'Donnell, M., Ferrante, A., Pakpahan, E., & Cordier, R. (2022). Patterns of homelessness and housing instability and the relationship with mental health disorders among young people transitioning from out-of-home care: retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data. PloS one, 17(9), 1-23.
DOI Scopus20 WoS19 Europe PMC9
2022 Orr, C., Fisher, C. M., Glauert, R., Preen, D. B., & O'Donnell, M. (2022). A demographic profile of mothers and their children who are victims of family and domestic violence: using linked police and hospital admissions data. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(1-2), 500-525.
DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC3
2021 Orr, C., Preen, D., Fisher, C., Sims, S., & O'Donnell, M. (2021). Trends in hospital admissions for intimate partner violence in Australian mothers with children born from 1990 to 2009. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(15-16), 6998-7017.
DOI Scopus16 Europe PMC12
2021 Sims, S., Preen, D., Pereira, G., Fatovich, D., Livingston, M., & O'Donnell, M. (2021). Alcohol-related harm in emergency departments: linking to subsequent hospitalizations to quantify under-reporting of presentations. Addiction, 116(6), 1371-1380.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2021 Chikwava, F., Cordier, R., Ferrante, A., O'Donnell, M., Speyer, R., & Parsons, L. (2021). Research using population-based administration data integrated with longitudinal data in child protection settings: a systematic review. PLoS ONE, 16(3, article e0249088), 1-41.
DOI Scopus17 WoS15 Europe PMC11
2021 Orr, C., O'Donnell, M., Fisher, C., Bell, M., Glauert, R., & Preen, D. (2021). School readiness of children exposed to family and domestic violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(21-22), NP20428-NP20458.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2021 Dhamrait, G. K., Christian, H., O'Donnell, M., & Pereira, G. (2021). Gestational age and child development at school entry. Scientific Reports, 11(1, article no. 14522), 1-13.
DOI Scopus24 WoS23 Europe PMC20
2020 Maclean, M. J., Taylor, C. L., & O'Donnell, M. (2020). Adolescent education outcomes and maltreatment: the role of pre-existing adversity, level of child protection involvement, and school attendance. Child Abuse and Neglect, 109(104721), 1-12.
DOI Scopus11 Europe PMC3
2020 Orr, C., Fisher, C. M., Preen, D. B., Glauert, R. A., & O'Donnell, M. (2020). Exposure to family and domestic violence is associated with increased childhood hospitalisations. Plos One, 15(8 August), e0237251.
DOI Scopus21 Europe PMC9
2020 Fairthorne, J., Bourke, J., O'Donnell, M., Wong, K., de Klerk, N., Llewellyn, G., & Leonard, H. (2020). Pregnancy and birth outcomes of mothers with intellectual disability and their infants: Advocacy needed to improve well-being. Disability and Health Journal, 13(2, article no 100871), 1-7.
DOI Scopus12 Europe PMC9
2020 Pearson, R. J., Jay, M. A., O'Donnell, M., Wijlaars, L., & Gilbert, R. (2020). Characterizing newborn and older infant entries into care in England between 2006 and 2014. Child Abuse and Neglect, 109(104760), 1-14.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13 Europe PMC4
2020 Parsons, L., Chung, D., Cordier, R., Hodgson, D., Lund, S., Mendes, P., . . . Thoresen, S. (2020). Research protocol of a multifaceted prospective mixed-method longitudinal study: Navigating Through Life - Western Australian study of transitions from out-of-home care. BMC Public Health, 20(article no. 1180), 1-15.
DOI Scopus10 Europe PMC4
2020 Hamilton, S., Reibel, T., Maslen, S., Watkins, R., Jacinta, F., Passmore, H., . . . Bower, C. (2020). Disability 'in-justice': the benefits and challenges of 'yarning' with young people undergoing diagnostic assessment for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in a youth detention center. Qualitative Health Research, 30(2), 314-327.
DOI Scopus32 Europe PMC14
2020 Hamilton, S., Maslen, S., Best, D., Freeman, J., O'Donnell, M., Reibel, T., . . . Watkins, R. (2020). Putting 'justice' in recovery capital: yarning about hopes and futures with young people in detention. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 9(2), 20-36.
DOI Scopus41
2020 Lima, F., Sims, S., & O'Donnell, M. (2020). Harmful drinking is associated with mental health conditions and other risk behaviours in Australian young people. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44(3), 201-207.
DOI Scopus16 Europe PMC11
2020 Fluke, J. D., Tonmyr, L., Gray, J., Bettencourt Rodrigues, L., Bolter, F., Cash, S., . . . Weaver, L. (2020). Child maltreatment data: A summary of progress, prospects and challenges.. Child abuse & neglect, 119(Pt 1), 104650.
DOI Scopus37 WoS32 Europe PMC21
2019 Lima, F., Shepherd, C., Wong, J., O'Donnell, M., & Marriott, R. (2019). Trends in mental health related contacts among mothers of Aboriginal children in Western Australia (1990-2013): a linked data population-based cohort study of over 40 000 children. BMJ Open, 9(7), 1-10.
DOI Scopus15 Europe PMC11
2019 Cant, R. L., O'Donnell, M., Sims, S., & Harries, M. (2019). Overcrowded housing: one of a constellation of vulnerabilities for child sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 93, 239-248.
DOI Scopus23 Europe PMC5
2019 Maclean, M. J., Sims, S. A., & O'Donnell, M. (2019). Role of pre-existing adversity and child maltreatment on mental health outcomes for children involved in child protection: population-based data linkage study. BMJ Open, 9(7, article no. e029675), 1-13.
DOI Scopus22 Europe PMC13
2019 O'Donnell, M., Taplin, S., Marriott, R., Lima, F., & Stanley, F. J. (2019). Infant removals: the need to address the over-representation of Aboriginal infants and community concerns of another 'stolen generation'. Child Abuse and Neglect, 90, 88-98.
DOI Scopus95 Europe PMC32
2019 Orr, C., Fisher, C., Sims, S., Preen, D., Glauert, R., & O'Donnell, M. (2019). Hospitalisations for maternal assault are associated with increased risk of child protection involvement. Child Abuse and Neglect, 95(article no. 104014), 1-14.
DOI Scopus15 Europe PMC11
2019 Balogh, R., Leonard, H., Bourke, J., Brameld, K., Downs, J., Hansen, M., . . . Krahn, G. (2019). Data Linkage: Canadian and Australian perspectives on a valuable methodology for intellectual and developmental disability research. Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 57(5), 439-462.
DOI Scopus23 Europe PMC17
2019 Hamilton, S. L., Reibel, T., Watkins, R., Mutch, R. C., Kippin, N. R., Freeman, J., . . . Bower, C. (2019). 'He has problems; he is not the problem...' a qualitative study of non-custodial staff providing services for young offenders assessed for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in an Australian youth detention centre. Youth Justice, 19(2), 137-157.
DOI Scopus19
2018 Maclean, M. J., Taylor, C. L., & O'Donnell, M. (2018). Out-of-home care and the educational achievement, attendance, and suspensions of maltreated children: a propensity-matched study. Journal of pediatrics, 198, 287.e2-293.e2.
DOI Scopus18 Europe PMC7
2017 O'Donnell, M., Bell, M., & Sims, S. (2017). Utilising linked government data to monitor and support progress towards the UN sustainable development goals. Asia-Pacific Tech Monitor, 34(4), 12-16.
2017 Wong, J. W. Y., O'Donnell, M., Bayliss, D., Fletcher, J., & Glauert, R. (2017). Patterns of participation in year 9 academic testing and factors predicting absence on the day of test. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 16(2), 109-127.
DOI Scopus4
2017 O'Donnell, M., Sims, S., Maclean, M. J., Gonzalez Izquierdo, A., Gilbert, R. E., & Stanley, F. J. (2017). Trends in alcohol-related injury admissions in adolescents in Western Australia and England: population-based cohort study. BMJ Open, 7(5, article no. e014913), 1-7.
DOI Scopus17 Europe PMC13
2017 Hafekost, K., Lawrence, D., O'Leary, C., Bower, C., O'Donnell, M., Semmens, J., & Zubrick, S. R. (2017). Maternal alcohol use disorder and subsequent child protection contact: a record-linkage population cohort study. Child Abuse and Neglect, 72, 206-214.
DOI Scopus33 Europe PMC23
2017 Maclean, M. J., Sims, S., Bower, C., Leonard, H., Stanley, F. J., & O'Donnell, M. (2017). Maltreatment risk among children with disabilities. Pediatrics, 139(4, no. e20161817), 1-12.
DOI Scopus116 Europe PMC61
2017 Maclean, M. J., Taylor, C. L., & O'Donnell, M. (2017). Relationship between out-of-home care placement history characteristics and educational achievement: a population level linked data study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 70, 146-159.
DOI Scopus37 Europe PMC12
2016 Maclean, M. J., Taylor, C. L., & O'Donnell, M. (2016). Pre-existing adversity, level of child protection involvement, and school attendance predict educational outcomes in a longitudinal study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 51, 120-131.
DOI Scopus49 Europe PMC25
2016 O'Donnell, M., Maclean, M. J., Sims, S., Brownell, M., Ekuma, O., & Gilbert, R. E. (2016). Entering out-of-home care during childhood: cumulative incidence study in Canada and Australia. Child Abuse & Neglect, 59, 78-87.
DOI Scopus42 Europe PMC20
2016 Maclean, M. J., Sims, S., O'Donnell, M., & Gilbert, R. (2016). Out-of-home care versus in-home care for children who have been maltreated: a systematic review of health and wellbeing outcomes. Child Abuse Review, 25(4), 251-272.
DOI Scopus60
2016 Davies, H., Gilbert, R., Johnson, K., Petersen, I., Nazareth, I., O'Donnell, M., . . . Gonzalez Izquierdo, A. (2016). Neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome: cross-country comparison using hospital administrative data in England, the USA, Western Australia and Ontario, Canada. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 101(1), 26-30.
DOI Scopus67 Europe PMC51
2015 Sims, S., & O'Donnell, M. (2015). Identifying families most likely to have missing paternal details in birth registrations using linked data. Journal of Family Studies, 21(2), 163-177.
DOI Scopus11
2015 O'Donnell, M., Maclean, M. J., Sims, S., Morgan, V. A., Leonard, H., & Stanley, F. J. (2015). Maternal mental health and risk of child protection involvement: mental health diagnoses associated with increased risk. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 69(12), 1175-1183.
DOI Scopus85 Europe PMC45
2013 O'Donnell, M., Anderson, D., Morgan, V. A., Nassar, N., Leonard, H. M., & Stanley, F. J. (2013). Trends in pre-existing mental health disorders among parents of infants born in Western Australia from 1990 to 2005. Medical Journal of Australia, 198(9), 485-489.
DOI Scopus15 Europe PMC12
2013 Gonzalez Izquierdo, A., Ward, A., O'Donnell, M., Li, L., Roposch, A., Stanley, F., & Gilbert, R. E. (2013). Cross-country comparison of victimisation-related injury admission in children and adolescents in England and Western Australia. BMC Health Services Research, 13(1), 1-9.
DOI Scopus13 Europe PMC10
2013 Leonard, H., Glasson, E., Bebbington, A., Hammond, G., Croft, D., Pikora, T., . . . Bourke, J. (2013). Application of population-based linked data to the study of intellectual disability and autism. International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities, 45, 281-327.
DOI Scopus15
2012 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Jacoby, P., & Stanley, F. (2012). Western Australian emergency department presentations related to child maltreatment and intentional injury: population level study utilising linked health and child protection data. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 48(1), 57-65.
DOI Scopus27 Europe PMC18
2012 Gilbert, R., Fluke, J., O'Donnell, M., Gonzalez Izquierdo, A., Brownell, M., Gulliver, P., . . . Sidebotham, P. (2012). Child maltreatment: variation in trends and policies in six developed countries. Lancet, 379(9817), 758-772.
DOI Scopus288 Europe PMC154
2012 Gilbert, R. E., Fluke, J., O'Donnell, M., Gonzalez Izquierdo, A., Brownell, M., Gulliver, P., . . . Sidebotham, P. (2012). Trends in child maltreatment - authors' reply. LANCET, 379(9831), 2049.
DOI Scopus2
2012 Foley, K. R., Blackmore, A. M., Girdler, S., O'Donnell, M., Glauert, R., Llewellyn, G., & Leonard, H. (2012). To feel belonged: the voices of children and youth with disabilities on the meaning of wellbeing. Child Indicators Research, 5(2), 375-391.
DOI Scopus82
2011 Stanley, F., Glauert, R., Mckenzie, A., & O'Donnell, M. (2011). Can joined-up data lead to joined-up thinking? The Western Australian Developmental Pathways Project. Healthcare Policy, 6(SPEC. ISSUE), 63-73.
DOI Scopus16
2010 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Leonard, H. M., Mathews, R. P., Patterson, Y. G., & Stanley, F. J. (2010). The use of cross-jurisdictional population data to investigate health indicators of child maltreatment. Medical Journal of Australia, 193(3), 142-145.
DOI Scopus6 Europe PMC4
2010 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Leonard, H., Jacoby, P., Mathews, R., Patterson, Y., & Stanley, F. (2010). Characteristics of non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal children and families with substantiated child maltreatment: a population-based study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 39(3), 921-928.
DOI Scopus45 Europe PMC24
2010 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Leonard, H., Mathews, R., Patterson, Y., & Stanley, F. (2010). Monitoring child abuse and neglect at a population level: patterns of hospital admissions for maltreatment and assault. Child Abuse & Neglect, 34(11), 823-832.
DOI Scopus34 Europe PMC21
2010 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Leonard, H., Jacoby, P., Mathews, R., Patterson, Y., & Stanley, F. (2010). Rates and types of hospitalisations for children who have subsequent contact with the child protection system: a population based case-control study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 64(9), 784-788.
DOI Scopus26 Europe PMC25
2009 O'Donnell, M., Scott, D., & Stanley, F. (2009). Authors' response to letter regarding a public health approach to child abuse and neglect. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 33(2), 195-196.
DOI
2009 O'Donnell, M., Nassar, N., Leonard, H., Hagan, R., Mathews, R., Patterson, Y., & Stanley, F. (2009). Increasing prevalence of neonatal withdrawal syndrome: population study of maternal factors and child protection involvement. Pediatrics, 123(4), 614-621.
DOI Scopus96 Europe PMC72
2008 O'Donnell, M., Scott, D. A., & Stanley, F. (2008). Child abuse and neglect: is it time for a public health approach?. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 32(4), 325-330.
DOI Scopus82 WoS75 Europe PMC34
2007 Stanley, F., Scott, D. A., & O'Donnell, M. (2007). Interventions to halt child abuse in Aboriginal communities. Medical journal of Australia, 187(8), 472.
DOI Europe PMC1

  • Improving practice and care co-ordination for women/ families facing adversity during the perinatal period, Stan Perron Charitable Foundation, 16/06/2025 - 17/06/2030

  • Relighting the firesticks: Accelerating diffusion and progressing to sustainability of innovative care to foster a healthy start to life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant, 01/03/2024 - 31/10/2029

  • Wrapped in Our Ways During Pregnancy, Paul Ramsay Foundation, 11/11/2025 - 31/01/2029

  • Impact of the Barnahus model in Europe, Oak Foundation, 31/03/2025 - 31/03/2028

  • SNAICC research - Pre-birth notifications and infant removals, SNAICC National Voice for our Children, 27/06/2025 - 31/07/2026

  • Supporting the mental health of Aboriginal children in care and leaving care, Department of Communities and Justice - NSW, 31/03/2024 - 30/06/2025

  • Bringing Baby Home (BBH) Program, Department for Education, Children and Young People, 10/02/2025 - 30/06/2025

  • Infants removed by child protection: nature, extent and impact, ARC - Discovery Projects, 01/01/2017 - 06/07/2021

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Principal Supervisor Perinatal child protection responses in the context of domestic and family violence: A critical exploration of policy, practice and lived experience Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Renee Usher
2024 Principal Supervisor 46- Families with multiple and complex needs: refocusing on early intervention Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Kelly Maree Winslade
2024 Principal Supervisor Aboriginal Parenting: Challenging misconceptions and strengthening practice Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Helen Allport
2022 Principal Supervisor Improving the Process and Long-Term Outcomes of Reunification for Families. Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators for Successful and Safe Reunification. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Ebony Rose Tucker

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