Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Stella Laletas has been employed by Monash University for over 6 years and currently holds an ongoing position in the Faculty of Education. She is a Senior Lecturer in developmental psychology, counselling and inclusive education. As an academic, her research interests lie in exploring and understanding the experiences and mental health needs of our most vulnerable citizens, including children and adolescents, as well as our ageing population. Alongside her academic profile, she is a practicing psychologist with specialist knowledge in lifespan and developmental psychology. Prior to her employment at Monash University, she held leadership and executive positions within school systems and various community sectors. Her professional profile also includes experience in School Leadership in the area of Student Wellbeing with the Department of Education and Training in Victoria.
Stella completed her PhD in Educational & Developmental Psychology at Monash University and is the Mollie Holman Award recipient for the best doctoral thesis in the Faculty, 2017. In 2018, Stella was nominated for the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Ray Debus Award for Doctorial Research in Education.
Currently, Stella holds positions on academic committees responsible for governing processes within the Faculty of Education and across the whole of Monash University. These include:
- Monash University Human Ethics Committee (2018 to present): the role of the committee members is to ensure the ethical standards and legal and moral obligations involving human subjects in research;
- Member of Academic Progress Committee Panel (2018 to present): the academic progress committee adjudicates hearings and determines whether students can continue with your studies at Monash.
- Steering Committee Chair, Prato International Research Collaborative for Change in Parent & Child Mental Health (2018 to present): the committee organises conferences/working parties and facilitates opportunities for international research collaborations.
External governance ppositions:
- Sub-Committee member of the Fronditha Care- Education, Training & Advocacy Committee (E-TAC) since February 2020. Her contribution to the committee involved consultation and feedback on governance, education, training and advocacy in the aged care sector.
- In November, 2020. Stella secured a Director role in the Fronditha Aged Care (not for profit) organisation. This role is voluntary.
Research interests
Research approaches:
Phenomenology, Qualitative, Mixed Methods
Research areas include:
- Lived experience, particularly ‘at risk’ children and adolescents impacted by childhood adversity;
- Inclusive Teacher Education and Social Diversity;
- Educational Psychology and Counselling related to lifespan development;
- Ethics in Research and Psychological practice in school settings;
- Cultural variations and implication for counselling practice;
- Phenomenological inquiry in Educational Psychology
- Intersections between Cognitive Neuroscience, Educational Psychology and Phenomenology
Monash teaching commitment
EDF5000 Lifespan development & counseling, Semester 1,2 & Term 3
Chief Examiner, Unit Coordinator & Lecturer
Handbook link: https://handbook.monash.edu/2021/units/EDF5000
This unit is designed to examine major lifespan theories alongside the developmental issues and challenges that could be encountered by counselling professionals.
EDF5530 counselling skills for individuals, couples and groups Semester 1, Term 3
Chief Examiner, Unit Coordinator & Lecturer
This unit introduces students to the theoretical and applied aspects of counselling to individuals, couples and groups, and the evidence base which informs them.
EDF5782 - School leadership in inclusive education - S1 2022
Cheif Examiner, Unit Coordinator & Letcurer
This unit offers professional learning to leaders and aspiring leaders in educational inclusion. It addresses education leadership as a way to enhance student learning for all students, and make informed choices about how to respond to circumstances in ways that embrace gender, race and diversity in their school context.
Supervision interests
Projects that focus on
- exploring the needs of vulnerable children in education settings, in particular children living in families impacted by parental mental illness; children impacted by high conflict families related to child custody disputes; childhood/transgenerational trauma; disability and social disadvantage.
- helping teachers identify and support the needs of vulnerable children in terms of their wellbeing and engagement in learning
Clinical activities
Stella is an endorsed and practicing Educational and Developmental Psychologist.
Psychological services include:
- Assessments: Family Law & Child Custody Evaluations and Child & Adolescent Psychoeducational Assessments
- Interventions: Individual and family counselling
- Expert witness and consultancy: assessment and intervention for children in a Family Law context
Consulting
Family Law and Mental Health Consultant: Assessing the best interests of a child in the judicial system
Teacher Education and Training: Professional development of teachers and school personnel in supporting vulnerable children and young people who experience vulnerabilities due to social disadvantage and/or family risk factors.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Non-executive Director of the Board (Voluntary Position), Fronditha Care-Aged & Community Services Australia
28 Nov 2020 → …
School Leadership-Student Wellbeing, Department of Education (Victoria)
2006 → 2012
Secondary Teacher, Department of Education (Victoria)
2004 → 2006
Early Childhood Education and Care Director
1993 → 2003
Classroom Teacher , Department of Education (Victoria)
1989 → 1993
Research area keywords
- Educational and Developmental Psychology
- Inclusive Teacher Education
- Family Law Psychology
- Children of parents who have mental health issues
- Parental Alienation
- High Conflict Divorce & Children's Rights
- Developmental Psychology & Ageing
- Post-separation parenting
Network
-
Respectful Relationships Professional Learning for Early Childhood Educators
Hammer, M., Duhn, I., Laletas, S., Li, L., Quiñones, G., Babaeff, R., Hansen, J., Armstrong, L., Pfitzner, N. & Lewis, R.
22/02/21 → 30/06/23
Project: Consultancy
-
Helping children and young people navigate the family law system: development of an evidence-based ‘Kids App’
Laletas, S., Gasevic, D., Grove, C., Mort, D. & Bassett, N.
4/01/21 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
-
Understanding the short and long term educational and wellbeing impacts of COVID-19 on youth, adults and families
Grove, C., Laletas, S., Subban, P., Round, P., Fielding, R., Leif, E., Patlamazoglou, L., Sharma, U., Alfrey, L. & Rosenbluh, I.
15/05/20 → 15/05/21
Project: Research
-
Promoting the Inclusion and Participation of Individuals with ASD In Sport: Evaluation of Online Coach Education
Leif, E., Alfrey, L., Grove, C. & Laletas, S.
15/04/20 → 31/10/20
Project: Research
-
Current interdisciplinary practices for assessing the best interest of the child in high conflict divorce and parental alienation cases worldwide: scoping review
Laletas, S. & Alexander, R.
1/09/19 → 31/12/19
Project: Research
-
Art-based research to explore children's lived experiences of dysgraphia
Kalenjuk, E., Wilson, S., Subban, P. & Laletas, S., 2023, (Accepted/In press) In: Children & Society. 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Complex adaptive phenomenology: a conceptual framework for healthcare research
Borghmans, F. & Laletas, S., 2023, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Educational psychology: a critical part of inclusive education
Grové, C. & Laletas, S., 2023, Research for Inclusive Quality Education: Leveraging Belonging, Inclusion, and Equity. Boyle, C. & Allen, K-A. (eds.). 1st ed. Singapore Singapore: Springer, p. 233-242 10 p. (Sustainable Development Goals Series).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
-
A scoping review to map research on children with dysgraphia, their carers, and educators
Kalenjuk, E., Laletas, S., Subban, P. & Wilson, S., 2022, In: Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties. 27, 1, p. 19-63 45 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
Breaking down the walls of the ‘Ivory Tower’: critical reflections on how co-teaching partnerships can bridge the gap between inclusive education theory and practice
Laletas, S., Grove, C., Sharma, U., OToole, T. & Kaukko, M., 2022, In: Teachers and teaching: theory and practice. 28, 4, p. 475-495 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus)
Prizes
-
Dean's Award for Innovation for Learning and Teaching
Sharma, Umesh (Recipient), Grove, C. (Recipient), Laletas, Stella (Recipient) & Finkelstein, S. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Dean’s Early Career Researcher Award (ECR)
Laletas, Stella (Recipient), 5 Oct 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
-
-
Mollie Holman Medal recipient for the best doctoral thesis in the Faculty
Laletas, Stella (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File
Activities
-
Prato International Research Collaborative for Change in Parent & Child Mental Health Virtual Conference May 2021
Stella Laletas (Organiser), Joanne Nicholson (Member of programme committee), Christine Grove (Member of programme committee), Genevieve Piche (Invited speaker), Charlotte Reedtz (Invited speaker), Gavin Davidson (Organiser), Melinda Goodyear (Invited speaker) & Anne Grant (Session chair)
11 May 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
-
Careers Practitioners Seminar
Stella Laletas (Invited speaker)
17 Jun 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
-
Workshop for school counsellors in India and Sri Lanka
Stella Laletas (Invited speaker)
19 Jan 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
-
British Journal of Guidance & Counselling (Journal)
Stella Laletas (Editorial board member)
1 Aug 2021Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
-
Interdisciplinary Research Partnership
Stella Laletas (Fellow), Darren Mort (Fellow) & Nancy Bassett (Fellow)
15 Jan 2020Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
Press/Media
-
School - A Haven Away From Warring Parents
1/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
-
-
Fronditha Care-not for profit aged care organisation
30/03/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
-
We are with you: Parents share their teaching and learning lessons from the lockdown
Pearl Subban, Penny Round, Christine Grove, Stella Laletas, Laura Alfrey, Ilana Rosenbluh, Umesh Sharma & Erin Leif
27/10/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
-
5 tips on how unis can do more to design online learning that works for all students
Erin Leif, Christine Grove, Laura Alfrey, Stella Laletas & Umesh Sharma
9/09/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature