ASPA Occasional Lecture
Monday 5 September 2011
Professor Brigid Daniel, Stirling University
As part of the Safeguarding Children research programme, a recent systematic literature review examined evidence about the extent to which practitioners are equipped to recognise and respond to the indications that a child’s needs are likely to be, or are being neglected. This lecture reported on the findings, explored implications for policy and practice, and presented a model for conceptualising a straightforward response to neglected children.
Professor Daniel’s lecture was followed by a Q and A session with a panel including Professor Daniel, Megan Mitchell (NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People) and Professor Jan Carter (social worker, social researcher and policy analyst).
Download presentation slides and Book flyer.
Brigid Daniel, MA (Hons), PhD, CQSW, is Professor of Social Work at Stirling University in the Department of Applied Social Science and is head of the Social Work section which delivers undergraduate and post-graduate qualifying social work programmes as well as a range of continuing professional development courses. Brigid was a member of the team that undertook the multi-disciplinary audit and review of child protection in Scotland that reported in ‘It’s everyone’s job to make sure I’m alright’. Her research interests and publications are in the areas of child development, children’s resilience, work with fathers and child neglect. Information about the publication arising from the work Professor Daniel discussed in her lecture is available at http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849050937.
Professor Jan Carter M Phil, MSci(Econ). BA, Dip Soc Studs
Jan Carter, AM, is a social worker, social researcher, writer and social policy analyst. She has been a social worker in hospitals in Melbourne, Perth and London, headed up social policy and research for the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, held professorial posts in two leading Australian Universities and is now an Adjunct Professor in three universities. She is an experienced Board member and has been a Member of many Commonwealth and State inquiries, taskforces and Ministerial committees. She is at present Advisor to a philanthropic foundation in regional Victoria and the Foundation Director of the Australian College of Social Work (the college of advanced practice for social workers).
Megan Mitchell is NSW Commissioner for Children and Young People.
Megan has a strong personal and professional commitment to the needs and interests of children and young people. Her extensive experience in children and youth services has been obtained at national and state levels, in Commonwealth and State governments and non-government organisations. Megan’s particular focus has been on vulnerable children, child protection, foster and kinship care, juvenile justice, children’s services, child care, disabilities, early intervention and prevention services. Megan’s previous roles include Executive Director of the ACT Office for Children, Youth and Family Support, Executive Director Out of Home Care in the NSW Department of Community Services, CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service and Director, Strategic Policy and Planning in the NSW Ageing and Disability Department. She has formal qualifications in social policy, psychology and education, and has worked as a school teacher.
Eleonora De Michele has been working in the social welfare field for the past 32 years.
Eleonora has worked in a range of capacities in this field. Her career experience includes working as a Child Protection Caseworker; Manager Casework; Manager of DoCS Community Service Centres; DoCS Child Protection policy officer and Senior Child Protection trainer. For the past fifteen years she has worked as an independent consultant, providing a range of clinical and non-clinical services to organisations with human service intervention responsibilities. Eleonora has a particular interest in staff supervision, staff retention, successfully managing the work of child protection and worker self-care.