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Stephanie Milford

Senior Lecturer, Clinical Psychology

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Campus

Mt Helen Campus

Biography

Dr Stephanie Milford is a senior lecturer and assessment coordinator. She supervises students on psychological assessment placements at the FedCare Clinic, and supports them to build sound, practical skills in assessment, report writing and making recommendations for children, families and schools. She is a registered psychologist and supervisor. 

Stephanie's background is in teaching and school psychology. She is a registered teacher with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), and has worked in schools and communities across regional and remote Western Australia and Victoria. Working in these settings has given her a strong understanding of the realities families and schools face. That experience shapes her teaching and supervision. 

Alongside her role at Federation, Stephanie works with the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child. Her research looks at digital parenting, parental self-efficacy and the use of digital technology in early childhood education and care. Her current project, undertaken as a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar at Florida International University with Dr Shayl Griffith, examines how caregivers use screen media to soothe young children and how this relates to children's emerging self-regulation.

Fields of research

  • Communication studies
  • Education policy
  • Child and adolescent development
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Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Western Australia 
  • Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology, Murdoch University 
  • Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary), Edith Cowan University 
  • Graduate Certificate of Mental Health Science, Monash University 
  • Master of Education (Learning Difficulties), Edith Cowan University 
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Edith Cowan University 
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Understanding Childhood Trauma, University of South Australia 
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Assessing Childhood Trauma, University of South Australia 
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Responding to Childhood Trauma, University of South Australia 

Areas of interest

  • Digital parenting and parental self-efficacy 
  • Early childhood wellbeing and self-regulation 
  • Digital technology in early childhood education and care 
  • Caregivers' use of screen media to soothe young children 
  • Children and families in regional and remote communities 

Areas of expertise

  • Psychological assessment of children and young people 
  • Clinical supervision of students on assessment placements 
  • School psychology and teaching (registered teacher, VIT) 
  • Mixed methods research, including reflexive thematic analysis and Policy Delphi methodology 
  • Ecological approaches to child development 

Projects and partnerships 

  • ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, researching digital parenting and digital technology in early childhood 
  • Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholarship at Florida International University, with Dr Shayl Griffith, examining caregivers' use of screen media to soothe young children and its links to emerging self-regulation 

Grants

  • 2025: Awarded Academy of Social Sciences SPARK Grant ($1000) to host a community workshop on Infant Feeding Apps 

Awards

  • 2026–27: Australian Fulbright Postdoctoral Award (Western Australia) – ‘Screen Soothing and Self-Regulation: Investigating pathways in Parent-Child Dynamics’ (Florida International University)  
  • 2026: Merit select Digital Child Postdoctoral Fellowship Scholarship to extend research on digital parenting and social media influencers

  • Psychological assessment 

Specialist roles

  • Editorial board member: Psychology of Popular Media (American Psychological Association) 

Professional association memberships

  • Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) 

Book chapters 

  • Milford, S.C. (2025). From isolation to connection: How online shut up & write fosters wellbeing for remote scholars. In N. Lemon, A. Bolzle, M. Santa Cruz, & R. Saunders (Eds.), Fostering wellbeing through collective writing practices: Shut up & write! In Higher Education settings. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003633327. 

Reports  

  • Milford, S.C., Murcia, K., Wilson, S., Cross, E., & Mennell, S. (2025). Developing digital technology policy for early childhood education and care (ECEC) Policy Delphi briefing report. Available at: https://digitalchild.org.au/wp content/uploads/2025/07/Developing-Digital-Tech-Policy-For-ECEC-Delphi-Round One-2025.pdf Presentations International Milford, S.C. (2025, July). 

Media contributions 

  • Milford, S. (2026, April 30). ‘I don’t believe no screens is possible’: how parents manage devices and little kids. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/i-dont believe-no-screens-is-possible-how-parents-manage-devices-and-little-kids-281241.  
  • ECU Media Release: Radio interview and media articles to discuss research findings and public interest in digital parenting. Estimated reach: 25 558 334. Available here: https://www.ecu.edu.au/newsroom/articles/research/mixed-messages-on-kids-screen time-leaves-parents-feeling-overwhelmed. Estimated reach: 25 558 334. 
  • Media interview (2026, February) (Seven West Media): ‘2026 is new 2016’ media trends 
  • Publications

Being reflexive about reflexivity: The ethical imperative of reflexive practice when engaging in sensitive and contentious research

Between guidelines and guilt: Parenting through the chaos of screen-time discourse

"No screens before two": How first-time Australian parents negotiate enduring digital media guidelines

Visible parenting, invisible pressure: Exploring the emotional labour of digital mediation in an early childhood play program