Children's Voices Centre: 2025 Summary report

The Children's Voices Centre (CVC) was launched 1 October 2025. In 2025 CVC staff, affiliates, HDR students and adjuncts produced 242 outputs documented in CRO including 6 books, 9 reports, 3 theses, 15 chapters, 97 journal articles, and 58 conference presentations. In 2025 CVC staff submitted 5 grants, generated $117,000 HERDC income (undertaking research with Worksafe Victoria, Catholic Education Tasmania, Orange Aboriginal Medical Service), and CVC received its first anonymous philanthropic donation of $30,000. Collaborative research with 20+ interdisciplinary affiliates (mostly early career researchers) resulted in Q1 journal articles and conference presentations with more underway. 

The World Health Organization has invited CVC to apply to become a collaborating centre in 2026 following a co-operative research program, official membership WHO Disability Health Equity Network, and presentations at WHO (Geneva, Fiji).  CVC research impact includes with United Nations Foundation (USA), Australian Government (Thriving Kids Inquiry, Disability Discrimination Act), Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (3-month exhibition). Leadership roles in International Clinical Phonetics and Linguistics Association (ICPLA) and European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA). Awards from Patras University (Greece), International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP, non-state actor of WHO). One CVC HDR student graduated as a CSU university medallist. Visiting scholars were from: Nord University (Norway), Wellcome Trust visiting scholar (UK), East Tennessee State University (USA).

• Books    6
• Reports    9
• Theses    3
• Chapters    15
• Journal articles    97
• Commentary    3
• Editorial    7
• Book/Film/Article review    2
• Contribution to specialist publication    15
• Conference presentation/poster    58
• Resources/Non-textual outputs    27
• TOTAL    242

 

Impact - Intelligibility in Context Scale

The Intelligibility in Context Scale has been used as an outcome measure for the International Consortium of Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) for patients with a cleft lip and/or palate. 

Here is their latest publication: 

Ombashi, S., Kurniawan, M. S., Allori, A., Sharif-Askary, B., Rogers-Vizena, C., Koudstaal, M., Franken, M.-C., Molen, A. B. M. v. d., Mathijssen, I., Klassen, A., & Versnel, S. L. (2023). What is the optimal assessment of speech? A multicentre, international evaluation of speech assessment in 2500 patients with a cleft. BMJ Open, 13(12), e071571. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-071571

The analysis of ICS data is really interesting:

• "Moderate correlations were found between PCC and ICS in patients with CP (r=0.64) and in patients with CL(A)P (r=0.5). VPC and ICS had a (negative) weak correlation in patients with CP (r=−0.49) and CL(A)P (r=−0.43)." (p. 4) 
• "All correlations between PROMs were moderate, except for the strong correlation of the SFunction with both the SDistress and the ICS in patients with a CP. The fact that the correlation between the SFunction and SDistress is stronger in patients with CP than in patients with CL(A)P suggests that the visibly different appearance in patients with CL(A)P plays a significant role in SDistress as well; in a social context, looking differently may cause additional or more distress besides having speech problems. This is supported by our finding that the ICS correlated moderately with SFunction, but weakly with SDistress in the CL(A)P group. Parent- reported speech intelligibility correlated higher to children’s self report of their speech function than it did to the speech distress the children themselves experience. In the latter, distress about appearance could be included. This finding suggests that the ICS can give an indication of ‘patient- reported’ SFunction in young children who cannot complete a PROM themselves yet (7 years and younger)." (p. 5)
• "A ceiling effect in ICS outcomes of patients with CP, without clear differences between average scores in patients with CP and CL(A)P, suggests that the group with CP contains a diverse population and severity of the speech problems vary widely. Furthermore, since ICS is not specifically developed for a population with CP±L, it is debatable whether this tool captures the information necessary to point out all relevant speech problems in the patient group.However, exclusion of ICS could mean that a large part of the speech problems in the population with CP would remain undetected. Assessment at 5 and 12 years in patients with both cleft types, which is the current timing in the ICHOM Standard Set, appears therefore appropriate despite the ceiling effect." (pp. 7-8)

Planning with A/Prof Jane McCormack at ACU

A/Prof Jane McCormack is the head of the speech pathology program at the Australian Catholic University. I am currently an Honorary Professor at ACU and am enjoying collaborating with Jane and her staff. I popped into visit Jane this week after a medical appointment. We had the opportunity to discuss the MANY projects we have together. We have enjoyed working together for over 20 years - and when we get together our brainstorming is exciting.

Sharynne and Jane at ACU North Sydney

SBS podcast interview

Today I was interviewed by Dr Van Tran for her weekly SBS podcast. We talked about the impact of having speech, language and communication needs on children's educational and social outcomes. I talked about the research we have undertaken using the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Thanks Van for the opportunity to speak with your Vietnamese listeners.

Dr Van Tran interviewing Sharynne