Dr. Susana Gavidia-Payne

Dr. Susana Gavidia-Payne is an Adjunct Professor in Educational and Developmental Psychology at RMIT University. Susana’s expertise lies in the field of early childhood intervention (ECI), having worked extensively with young children with developmental disabilities and their families as a practising psychologist, ECI service manager and researcher for the last 35 years. Susana’s research prioritises evidence-based policy and practice that enable and constrain children’s development and family well-being, particularly in populations who experience developmental delays and disabilities.

Susana’s service and research  has led to the establishment of close research collaborations with community-based services and practitioners, which has supported the joint development of conceptual models and methodologies and guided the implementation of ECI evidence-based practices. Susana has been awarded research grants and tenders, generating numerous reports and practical resources. Susana has published widely in a range of peer-reviewed national and international journals, receiving research awards in 2009 and 2015 for publications in ECI-related topics. She is a member of the Coordinating Committee for the International Society on Early Intervention (ISEI) and acts as a reviewer for several journals in the fields of child development, disability, and family well-being. In her role as a member of the Victorian Children’s Council since 2015, Susana has advised various State Ministers of education, child protection, disability, ageing and health and human services. Susana’s current research examines ECI practitioners’ and families’ experiences in the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia.