Aino Inkeri Suomi

Aino Inkeri Suomi serves as an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Institute of Child Protection Studies within the Faculty of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University. Her research program bridges child protection systems, gambling harm, and family violence with particular focus on vulnerable populations including children in out-of-home care and welfare recipients.

Her research interests span multiple interconnected domains: child protection systems, gambling harm to children and families, intimate partner violence in gambling contexts, welfare policy stigma, and mental health impacts on child wellbeing. Her work consistently applies rigorous methodologies including systematic reviews, longitudinal analyses, and cross-national meta-regressions to address complex social issues.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on child-centered approaches to gambling harm, with 7 of 15 recent articles focusing on children's experiences of parental gambling. Her work demonstrates methodological diversity across quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, systematic reviews, and experimental vignette designs. A notable trend is the integration of gambling research with family violence and child protection systems, creating interdisciplinary connections between typically separate fields.

Her collaborative network includes prominent researchers such as Nicki Dowling, Nina Lucas, Peter Butterworth, and Timothy Schofield, with frequent partnerships across Australian Catholic University and external institutions. Her work with the Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study demonstrates significant engagement with national child protection data systems.