Much of my research is motivated by two core questions:  First, how can we ensure that all children thrive, regardless of their socioeconomic background?  To explore this, I study how children spend their time, what shapes their time use, and how it matters for both cognitive and non-cognitive development. I also examine outcomes for children involved in the child protection system, with a particular focus on the effects of out-of-home care. This work examines how placement into care influences children’s wellbeing and what policies can help improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

Second, who can access mental healthcare, at what cost, and how health  systems influence these patterns? In this work, I examine the determinants and economic costs of mental health, as well as socioeconomic inequities in access to care. I am currently a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project on ‘Mental healthcare pricing and socioeconomic inequities in access to care’, which investigates how the structure of mental healthcare markets and the behaviour of providers shape prices and access  to care.

My work has been featured in outlets such as The Conversation, Health Economics Connect, and Indo Media, allowing me to translate research findings for broader audiences and contribute to informed public and policy discussions.