Associate Professor and Educational and Developmental Psychologist
Dr Kelly-Ann Allen
New Research
What's New?
I started my journey of school belonging in an interesting way.​
Imagine this: grade acceleration from Reception to Grade 1, only to be held back in Grade 2. Did that help with making and keeping friends? Maybe not. My peers thought I was odd—partly because once I insisted on being the boy in my stories—and no one bothered to tell me the bell meant the end of lunch on my very first day. I remember finishing a perfectly buttered chicken sandwich before walking into class to a disapproving teacher. “Thank you for finally joining us,” she said. I still hear it.
No one wanted to play with me and the reasons included having spider arms, skin the colour of poo, and a name starting with "K." Although I noticed Kylie and Kate were fine.
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By Grade 3, things shifted. A new school brought safety. A best friend, Tracy, and our “mice group” gave me a place to belong. A teacher who could sing a decore jingle made us laugh in Grade 4. By Year 8, Mrs. George mixed lipliner tips with poetry. Those moments mattered.
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But belonging isn’t everyone’s story. A suicide in our high school makes me still wonder, Was she lonely, ostracised? I don’t know. High school had rough spots and tension.
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My school experiences were complex. Belonging jumped in and out, shaped by moments, people, and places, but made all the stronger by great teachers.
What’s Coming Next?
We know that school belonging—feeling accepted, included, and valued—profoundly shapes student wellbeing, engagement, and future success. Yet, in Australia, belonging is declining at alarming rates.
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I’m working on a three-year project, supported by a DECRA Fellowship and funded by the Australian Research Council, to tackle the growing issue of school belonging.
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We’re using cutting-edge methods—like individual student data and participatory action research—to uncover what truly helps students feel they belong. This means listening carefully to voices often unheard: students from marginalised backgrounds, disadvantaged groups, or those who feel invisible.
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From insights to action, we’re co-designing tools that will make a difference—practical, evidence-based strategies that schools, students, and parents can use to create change.
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Why watch this space? Because the findings we’ll share will be actionable and ready to help every student feel valued, accepted, and included.
Other current research
Workplace Belonging
Belonging in the workplace can significantly enhance employees' effectiveness, make your work more enjoyable, and foster a better environment. However, creating a sense of organizational belonging can be challenging, especially if it is not already ingrained in your company culture.
A sense of belonging refers to the fundamental human emotional need to be accepted and valued by group members in order to feel secure. This need may manifest in various contexts, such as fitting in with a peer group at school, gaining acceptance from colleagues, joining a sports team, or participating in a religious community.
The sense of belonging extends beyond mere familiarity with others; it primarily revolves around obtaining acceptance, attention, and support from group members, while also reciprocating that attention to others.
Bonnie Bozorg, a clinical psychologist at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, in collaboration with several researchers in Iran and Professor Kelly Ann-Allen, conducted a systematic and meta-analytical study to explore the sense of belonging in the workplace and its impact on the psychological well-being of employees
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Bonnie Bozorg
bonnie.bozorg88@gmail.com
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Teacher Belonging
Teacher-student relationships
Ebony Melzak is a Provisional Psychologist and PhD Candidate within the School of Educational Psychology and Counselling at Monash University. Her research investigates the factors that foster a sense of belonging among early-career teachers in their workplaces. Her research utilises mixed methods to examine how contextual and individual differences impact these factors, and considers practical applications to develop a supportive environment that nurtures a sense of belonging.
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Ebony Melzac
ebonymelzak@gmail.com
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Rhoda Lai is currently completing a Master of Educational & Developmental Psychology & PhD at Monash University's School of Educational Psychology and Counselling. Her research is investigating the impact of positive teacher-student relationships on secondary school teachers' wellbeing. She plans to use qualitative methods and a brief intervention to explore this.
Rhoda Lai
Rhoda.Lai1@monash.edu