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
2018
Journal Article
Measurement invariance of the feeding practices and Structure Questionnaire-28 among a community of socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers and fathers
Jansen, Elena, Harris, Holly A., Mallan, Kimberley M., Daniels, Lynne and Thorpe, Karen (2018). Measurement invariance of the feeding practices and Structure Questionnaire-28 among a community of socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers and fathers. Appetite, 120, 115-122. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.08.030
2018
Book Chapter
Producing contexts for young children’s digital technology use: web searching during adult-child interactions at home and preschool
Davidson, Christina, Danby, Susan J., Given, Lisa M. and Thorpe, Karen (2018). Producing contexts for young children’s digital technology use: web searching during adult-child interactions at home and preschool. Digital childhoods: technologies and children’s everyday lives. (pp. 65-82) edited by Susan J. Danby, Marilyn Fleer , Christina Davidson and Maria Hatzigianni. Singapore, Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-6484-5_5
2018
Other Outputs
“Get all cosy…. it’s like chill out”: children’s perspectives on relaxation in early childhood education and care
Cooke, Emma, Houen, Sandy, Staton, Sally, Thorpe, Karen and The Choosing Rest Research Team (2018, 01 01). “Get all cosy…. it’s like chill out”: children’s perspectives on relaxation in early childhood education and care Reflections Gowrie Australia Publication 1-2.
2018
Conference Publication
Observed non-compliance with safe sleeping guidelines in licensed home- and centre-based childcare services
Staton, S., Pease, A., Smith, S., Pattinson, C., Blair, P., Young, J., Irvine, S. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Observed non-compliance with safe sleeping guidelines in licensed home- and centre-based childcare services. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian Sleep Association and the Australasian Sleep Technologists Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, Australia, 17-20 October, 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.37_12765
2018
Conference Publication
Implementation of a professional development program to improve sleep health within the childcare sector
Staton, S., Smith, S., Irvine, S., Pattinson, C. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Implementation of a professional development program to improve sleep health within the childcare sector. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian Sleep Association and the Australasian Sleep Technologists Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, Australia, 17-20 October, 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.30_12765
2018
Conference Publication
Professionalism, paperwork and pedagogy: Identifying leadership strategies that enable professional practice in long day care
Irvine, S., Thorpe, K. and Bourne, J. (2018). Professionalism, paperwork and pedagogy: Identifying leadership strategies that enable professional practice in long day care. Early Childhood Australia Conference, Sydney, Australia, 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Men's career trajectories in early childhood education and care: perspectives from Norway, Australia, and China.
Xu, Yuwei , Sullivan, Victoria , Thorpe, Karen , Emilsen, Kari and Ljunggren, Birgitte (2018). Men's career trajectories in early childhood education and care: perspectives from Norway, Australia, and China. . Gender and Education Association Conference (GEA), Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 9-12 December 2018.
2018
Conference Publication
Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings
Staton, S., Smith, S., Rankin, P. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian-Sleep-Association and the Australasian-Sleep-Technologists-Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 17-20 October 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.106_12766
2018
Conference Publication
An insider's view: women's talk about men in childcare
Sullivan, V., Perales, F. and Thorpe, K. (2018). An insider's view: women's talk about men in childcare. European Early Childhood Education Research Association, Budapest, Hungary, 30 August 2018.
2018
Other Outputs
Summary report for the sleep learning for early education professionals project
Staton, S., Thorpe, K., Pattinson, C., Smith, S. and Irvine, S. (2018). Summary report for the sleep learning for early education professionals project. Brisbane, Queensland: Department of Education, Queensland Government.
2018
Conference Publication
Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable
Rankin, P., Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2018). Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable. Australasian Chronobiology Society 15th Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia, 2018.
2018
Other Outputs
Evaluation framework for the overarching evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program
Smith, Simon, Ferris, Jason, Edmed, Shannon, Puljevic, Cheneal, Salom, Caroline and Thorpe, Karen (2018). Evaluation framework for the overarching evaluation of the national support for child and youth mental health program. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2018
Conference Publication
A Man in the Centre: Insider perspectives on the unique contribution of male educators to children, families and the ECEC workplace
Thorpe, K., Sullivan, V., Jansen, E., Irvine, S., Sumision, J. and McDonald, P. (2018). A Man in the Centre: Insider perspectives on the unique contribution of male educators to children, families and the ECEC workplace. European Early Education and Care Research Association Conference, Budapest, Hungary, 28-31 August 2018.
2017
Other Outputs
Sleep and the restless preschooler: why policies need to change
Thorpe, Karen, Staton, Sally, Smith, Simon and Irvine, Susan (2017, 10 06). Sleep and the restless preschooler: why policies need to change The Conversation
2017
Journal Article
Soliciting and pursuing suggestions: Practices for contemporaneously managing student-centred and curriculum-focused activities
Ekberg, Stuart, Danby, Susan, Houen, Sandra, Davidson, Christina and Thorpe, Karen J. (2017). Soliciting and pursuing suggestions: Practices for contemporaneously managing student-centred and curriculum-focused activities. Linguistics and Education, 42, 65-73. doi: 10.1016/j.linged.2017.07.007
2017
Book Chapter
"Uh Oh": Multimodal meaning making during viewing of YouTube videos in preschool
Davidson, Christina, Danby, Susan J. and Thorpe, Karen (2017). "Uh Oh": Multimodal meaning making during viewing of YouTube videos in preschool. Multimodal perspectives of language, literacy, and learning in early childhood: the creative and critical "art" of making meaning. (pp. 233-255) edited by Marilyn J. Narey. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-44297-6_12
2017
Conference Publication
ECEC quality assessed, observed and enabled
Thorpe, K. (2017). ECEC quality assessed, observed and enabled. In: Early Start Conference, Wollongong, NSW, Australia, (). 27-29 September 2017.
2017
Book Chapter
Web searching as a context to build on young children’s displayed knowledge
Houen, Sandra, Danby, Susan, Farrell, Ann and Thorpe, Karen (2017). Web searching as a context to build on young children’s displayed knowledge. Children's knowledge-in-interaction: studies in conversation analysis. (pp. 57-72) edited by Amanda Bateman and Amelia Church. Singapore: Springer . doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-1703-2_4
2017
Book Chapter
Pretend play and technology: Young children making sense of their everyday social worlds
Danby, Susan, Davidson, Christina, Theobald, Maryanne, Houen, Sandra and Thorpe, Karen (2017). Pretend play and technology: Young children making sense of their everyday social worlds. Multidisciplinary perspectives on play from birth and beyond. (pp. 231-245) edited by Sandra Lynch, Deborah Pike and Cynthia à Beckett. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-2643-0_14
2017
Conference Publication
Severe sleep restriction in expedition adventure race competitors
St Pierre, L., Allan, A., Staton, S., Pattinson, C., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2017). Severe sleep restriction in expedition adventure race competitors. Joint Congress of World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) & World Sleep Federation (WSF), Prague, Czech Republic, 7-11 October 2017. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.11.023
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, Dr Azhar Potia
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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
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
Transition to secondary school: Supporting successful educational pathways of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kai Wheeler, Dr Azhar Potia
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Master Philosophy
The dilemma in the career development of international early childhood teachers in Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laetitia Coles
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Doctor Philosophy
The Signifiance of Nap Cessation for Children's Social-emotional Functioning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Peter Rankin, Associate Professor Sally Staton, Professor Simon Smith
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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
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
Early Sleep Interventions to Improve Outcomes in Children with Neurodisability
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Laetitia Coles, Dr Jasneek Chawla
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, Professor Simon Smith
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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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