Overview
Background
Karen Thorpe is Australian Research Council, Laureate Professor and Group Leader in Child Development, Education and Care at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland. Her research is grounded in the understanding that early learning experiences shape brain development and are critical in establishing trajectories of health, social inclusion and learning across the lifespan. A particular focus of her work is early care and education environments including parenting, parent work, quality of care and education, and the early years workforce.
Karen leads a multi-disciplinary team of developmental scientists undertaking large scale longitudinal studies with embedded studies to explicate mechanisms that enable or limit children’s life chances. She was Foundation Psychologist on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children at the University of Bristol, UK; led the evaluation of the Preparing School Trial for Queensland Government; led the Queensland team of the E4Kids study of quality in Australian Early Education and Care and a recent data linkage project with Queensland Government to track participants through their school journey. In partnership with Queensland Government, Goodstart Early Learning and the Creche and Kindergarten Association she led a large population study of the Australian ECEC workforce (ARC Linkage). Her current research, as a chief investigator on the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families across the life course, and through an ARC Laureate fellowship, is to examine barriers to providing high quality early learning services in developmentally vulnerable communities.
In 2013 and again in 2019 Karen was named by the Australian Financial Review as among Australia's 100 Women of Influence for the impacts of her research on educational and family policy. In 2020 she was recognised by Australian Government, Advance Global Awards for her international contribution to education. Karen chairs the Australian Early Years Reference Council for Evidence for Learning, Australia whose remit is to build a strong evidence-base in early childhood education and care with focus on translation into policy and practice. She is also director on the board of the Australian Research Council for Children and Youth and advisor to the national board of Beyond Blue – Be You.
Availability
- Professor Karen Thorpe is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bristol
Research interests
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Effects of experiences in the early years of life
Karen Thorpe is Australian Research Council, Laureate Professor and Group Leader in Child Development, Education and Care at the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland. Her research is grounded in the understanding that early learning experiences shape brain development and are critical in establishing trajectories of health, social inclusion and learning across the lifespan. A particular focus of her work is early care and education environments including parenting, parent work, quality of care and education, and the early years workforce.
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Longitudinal studies
Karen was the Foundation Psychologist on the British Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - a study of 14,000 children tracked from pregnancy in 1991 until the present day. This unique study was the first to combine genetic, biological and social data collections to understand the influences on children' s life course development. She continues to analyse data from this study and collaborate with colleagues in at the University of Bristol where these data are housed. Since returning to Australia in 2002 Karen has applied her expertise in longitudinal studies to create longitudinal data sets focused on early education and care experiences. She has established 4 large Australian data sets focussed on ECEC and in 2023 will commence another longitudinal study focused of ECEC in disadvantaged Australian communities funded by an Australian Laureate fellowship.
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Early Childhood Education and Care
Karen's work focuses on 4 domains that influence children's experiences in their early childhood learning environments - Policy - the funding mechanisms and social and educational policies directed towards access and quality of ECEC Provider - the effects of the mixed market of provision and enablers and constraints that influence allocation of available funds and types of provision Place - the social setting and circumstances that enter the ECEC service and room that can affect children's needs and everyday experiences People - the ECEC workforce and their capacity to support children and families given the resources within their setting A key focus is the potential of ECEC to redress social inequities and identifying ways to remove barriers to this aim
Works
Search Professor Karen Thorpe’s works on UQ eSpace
2016
Book Chapter
Working it out: balancing work and care after the birth of a first child
Boyd, Wendy, Millear, Prudence M. , Thorpe, Karen and Walker, Sue (2016). Working it out: balancing work and care after the birth of a first child. Exploring resources, life-balance and well-being of women who work in a global context. (pp. 145-159) edited by Roxane L Gervais and Prudence M. Millear. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-31736-6_9
2016
Conference Publication
Sleep when the baby sleeps: infant daytime sleep predicts maternal depressive symptomology
Thorpe, K., Staton, S., Cockshaw, W., Pattinson, C. and Smith, S. (2016). Sleep when the baby sleeps: infant daytime sleep predicts maternal depressive symptomology. Conference of the American Sleep Physicians Association, Denver, CO, United States, June 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Building a professional ECEC workforce: An Australian case study
Irvine, S., Thorpe, K., Lunn, J., Sumsion, J. and Mckinlay, S. (2016). Building a professional ECEC workforce: An Australian case study. In: European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Conference, Dublin, Ireland, (). August 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Day and night sleep duration as predicators of children’s weight status
Pattinson, C., Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2016). Day and night sleep duration as predicators of children’s weight status. Conference of the American Sleep Physicians Association, Denver, CO, United States, June 2016.
2016
Journal Article
What parents want: sleep, rest and relaxation for pre-schoolers
Staton, Sally, Thorpe, Karen and The Sleep in Early Childhood Research Group (2016). What parents want: sleep, rest and relaxation for pre-schoolers. Belonging Early Years Journal, 5 (2), 12-14.
2016
Conference Publication
Do Men Matter? Educator Perspectives on the role of Men in ECEC
Sullivan, V., Jansen, E., McDonald, P. and Thorpe, K. (2016). Do Men Matter? Educator Perspectives on the role of Men in ECEC. ARACY Early Years Conference, Cairns, QLD, Australia, August 2016.
2016
Other Outputs
The importance of sleep for preschool children’s learning. Implications for practices in early education settings
Thorpe, K., Pattinson, C., Staton, S. and The Sleep in Early Childhood Research Group (2016, 01 01). The importance of sleep for preschool children’s learning. Implications for practices in early education settings Bedrock
2016
Conference Publication
Same job, different place: The role of community context in predicting retention in the early years workforce
Thorpe, K. and Jansen, E. (2016). Same job, different place: The role of community context in predicting retention in the early years workforce. ARACY Early Years Conference, Cairns, August 2016.
2016
Conference Publication
Group napping patterns in relation to duration of mandatory naptimes in childcare settings
Staton, Sally, Smith, Simon, Hurst, C., Pattinson, Cassandra and Thorpe, Karen (2016). Group napping patterns in relation to duration of mandatory naptimes in childcare settings. SLEEP, Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, Boston, MA USA, 2016.
2015
Journal Article
The sleeping elephant in the room: practices and policies regarding sleep/rest time in early childhood education and care
Staton, Sally, Irvine, Susan, Pattinson, Cassandra, Smith, Simon and Thorpe, Karen (2015). The sleeping elephant in the room: practices and policies regarding sleep/rest time in early childhood education and care. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40 (4), 77-86. doi: 10.1177/183693911504000410
2015
Conference Publication
Children’s sleep patterns on days attending and not attending childcare
Staton, Sally, Pattinson, Cassandra, Smith, Simon, Wihardjo, Kylie and Thorpe, Karen (2015). Children’s sleep patterns on days attending and not attending childcare. 27th ASM of Australasian Sleep Association and Australasian Sleep Technologists Association, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 22–24 October 2015. London, United Kingdom: Springer . doi: 10.1111/sbr.12132
2015
Conference Publication
Physiological consequences of light exposure in preschool children
Pattinson, Cassandra, Allan, Alicia, Staton, Sally, Thorpe, Karen and Smith, Simon (2015). Physiological consequences of light exposure in preschool children. 27th ASM of Australasian Sleep Association and Australasian Sleep Technologists Association, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 22 - 24 October 2015. London, United Kingdom: Springer. doi: 10.1111/sbr.12132
2015
Conference Publication
Awaking the sleeping elephant in the room: Translating sleep science into sleep practice in Early Childhood Education and Care
Staton, S., Smith, S., Pattinson, C., Irvine, S., Theobald, M., Nothard, M. and Thorpe, K. (2015). Awaking the sleeping elephant in the room: Translating sleep science into sleep practice in Early Childhood Education and Care. Improving Children's Lives: Translating Research for Practice, Policy and Community Conference, Wollongong, NSW, Australia, September 2015.
2015
Journal Article
“I Have to Rest All the Time Because You are Not Allowed to Play”: exploring children’s perceptions of autonomy during sleep-time in long day care services
Nothard, Michaela, Irvine, Susan, Theobald, Maryanne, Staton, Sally, Pattinson, Cassandra and Thorpe, Karen (2015). “I Have to Rest All the Time Because You are Not Allowed to Play”: exploring children’s perceptions of autonomy during sleep-time in long day care services. International Journal of Early Childhood, 47 (3), 423-442. doi: 10.1007/s13158-015-0143-z
2015
Conference Publication
Meeting the National Quality Standards for sleep and rest
Staton, S., Thorpe, K., Irvine, S. and Smith, S. (2015). Meeting the National Quality Standards for sleep and rest. C&K Queensland Early Childhood Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, May 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Navigating the minefield: Sleep and rest times within the context of the National Quality Standard
Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Irvine, S. (2015). Navigating the minefield: Sleep and rest times within the context of the National Quality Standard. Early Childhood Australia, North Coast Annual Conference, Kingscliff, NSW Australia, March 2015.
2015
Journal Article
"Do I really need a nap?": the role of sleep science in informing sleep practices in early childhood education and care settings
Staton, Sally L., Smith, Simon S. and Thorpe, Karen J. (2015). "Do I really need a nap?": the role of sleep science in informing sleep practices in early childhood education and care settings. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 1 (1), 32-44. doi: 10.1037/tps0000011
2015
Journal Article
What works and why? Early childhood professionals' perspectives on effective early childhood education and care services for Indigenous families
Leske, Rachel, Sarmardin, Dixie, Woods, Annette and Thorpe, Karen (2015). What works and why? Early childhood professionals' perspectives on effective early childhood education and care services for Indigenous families. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40 (1), 109-118. doi: 10.1177/183693911504000114
2015
Conference Publication
Dim light duration predicts body mass index of young children
Pattinson, C., Allan, A., Thorpe, K., Staton, S. and Smith, S.S. (2015). Dim light duration predicts body mass index of young children. SLEEP 2015, Seattle, WA United States, 6-10 June 2015. Basel, Switzerland: S. Karger.
2015
Conference Publication
Napping, development and health from 0-5 years: A systematic review
Thorpe, K., Staton, S., Sawyer, E., Pattinson, C. and Smith, S. (2015). Napping, development and health from 0-5 years: A systematic review. Conference of the American Sleep Physicians Association, Seattle, WA, United States, June 2015. Basel, Switzerland: S. Karger .
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Karen Thorpe is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
An Ecological Case Study of Early Childhood Education and Care in Normanton
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
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Doctor Philosophy
Same Educator, Different Day
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton, Dr Sandy Houen
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Doctor Philosophy
Early Sleep Interventions to Improve Outcomes in Children with Neurodisability
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laetitia Coles, Associate Professor Jasneek Chawla
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Doctor Philosophy
Developmental effects of talk about mental states in early childhood education and care
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sandy Houen, Dr Aisling Mulvihill
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Doctor Philosophy
Can attachment theory be applied in early education and care environments? Theorising and measuring qualities of child-educator relationships
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Sandy Houen, Associate Professor Sally Staton
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Doctor Philosophy
Career trajectories of international early childhood teachers in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laetitia Coles
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Why mealtimes matter: food provision and practices in childcare centres serving low-income communities.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Adjunct Professor Robyn Littlewood, Associate Professor Sally Staton
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Pride and Prejudice: The claiming and contesting of male participation in Early Childhood Education and Care
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laetitia Coles
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Bridging the theory to evidence gap: a systematic review and analysis of individual × environment models of child development
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Western
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Significance of Nap Cessation for Children's Social-emotional Functioning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Rankin, Associate Professor Sally Staton
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Relaxation and Unrest: A Crystallization of Children's Experiences in Early Childhood Education and Care
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Karen Thorpe directly for media enquiries about:
- child development
- childcare
- childcare educators work conditions
- children
- children's sleep
- early education and care
- early years workforce
- ecec
- educational policy
- longitudinal studies
- parenting
- preschool
- school readiness
- twins
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