Research

The Lighthouse Institute has a focus on researching, evaluating and developing best practice approaches that will contribute to child and youth wellness and ending youth homelessness. Through the administration of the Therapeutic Family Model of Care™ and the outcomes of innovative programs that are being run in the wider community, the Institute is well placed to contribute to debate that will influence policy and practice in the fields of child and youth work, child and adolescent mental health and youth homelessness.

The Institute’s research program consists of the following research portfolio areas:

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health
• Youth Homelessness
• Out of Home Care and Leaving Care
• Community Psychology
• Attachment and Trauma-Informed Practice

The Institute has also developed research partnerships with other well respected university research departments, including our major research partner Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne.

To express interest in working together with The Institute, email Luci Klendo on lucik@lighthousefoundation.org.au

Findings from Social Ventures Australia

Social Ventures Australia was commissioned to complete an analysis of Lighthouse Foundation's Social Return on Investment (SROI).

SROI is an internationally recognised methodology that measures the value created for stakeholders. SROI is a framework for identifying, measuring and accounting for the value an activity creates from the perspective of each stakeholder.

Findings included the following insights:

• The intensive support model leads to a holistic transformation of young people’s lives.
• The changes experienced by young people are sustainable and result in permanent exit from homelessness for 8 out of 10 young people that complete the program.
• Investment into LHF generates significant social returns for all stakeholders. For every dollar invested into LHF programs, more than $12 in social value is created.
• The Government is a large beneficiary of the work done by LHF which decreases the future burden of chronic homelessness and creates direct benefit to Treasury in the form of decreased welfare and increased taxes.

For a full summary of the report click here.