Professor Karen Healy
Professor

Karen Healy

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 51847

Background

My research focuses on the protection and wellbeing of children, young people and their families. I use research co-design methods to collaborate with people, communities, and agencies to build family and community inclusive responses to human and health needs.

My research fields are: child protection, out-of-home care, health equity and social inclusion.

My research themes are:

a) peer-parent and family advocacy in child protection, mental health and other health services.

b) promoting the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of children, young people and families involved with child protection and out-of-home care services.

c) health equity and evidence-based approaches to family support in child protection, mental and other health services.

d) interprofessional health care to improve service access and equity with vulnerable populations.

In 2016, I was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for my contribution to social work in child protection, higher education and research. In September 2018, I was appointed Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Availability

Professor Karen Healy is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Human Society Policy and administration Social work

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Graduate Certificate of Applied Statistics, Swinburne University of Technology

Research impacts

I have led more than 25 applied research projects primarily in child and family welfare and in integrated health and community care with vulnerable and disadvantaged families.

These initiatives have contributed to improvements in parents and children's participation in child protection decision-making in policy and in practice. I currently lead an ARC Linkage project with four co-investigators and 8 industry partners, to understand and enhance the social and emotional well-being of children in Out of Home Care. I have supervised 31 Research Higher Degree students to completion of their projects.

I am Head of School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. Prior to my appointment as Head of School in January 2023, I was Head of Discipline for Social Work and Counselling programs at The University of Queensland and member of the Australian Council of Heads of Schools of Social Work. As Head of Discipline, I have led the innovations in the use of practice and policy simulations to improve student preparation for practice at foundational and advanced levels.

I continue to hold senior advisory positions in industry and in my professional community. I am also: Community Services Commissioner and Chair of Clinical Care and Governance for Anglicare Southern Queensland; and research advisor to Micah Projects, an innovative community services agency aimed at building social inclusion. In my partnerships with Micah, I am pleased to have contributed to major social health initiatives, particularly the establishment of Young Mothers for Young Women (an integrated midwifery, family and peer support program), and to have supported parents to work with the Child Safety Minister and Agency to develop a Parents' Rights Charter, founded on Human Rights Principles.

My track record of leadership includes as: National President of the Australian Association of Social Workers (2011-2017); National Director of The Benevolent Society (2011-2019); National President for the Australian Association of Social Work and Welfare Education (2005-2009).

Search Professor Karen Healy’s works on UQ eSpace

109 works between 1995 and 2024
All (109) Journal Article (63) Book Chapter (20) Conference Publication (8) Book (13) Other Outputs (5)

41 - 60 of 109 works

2014

Journal Article

Collaborating with families in differential responses: practitioners' views

Healy, Karen, Harrison, Gai, Venables, Jemma and Bosly, Fiona (2014). Collaborating with families in differential responses: practitioners' views. Child and Family Social Work, 21 (3), 1-11. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12149

Collaborating with families in differential responses: practitioners' views

2014

Book Chapter

Social sustainability and social work: problems and prospects

Healy, Karen (2014). Social sustainability and social work: problems and prospects. Global Social Transformation and Social Action: The Role of Social Workers. (pp. 161-164) edited by Sven Hessle. Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing.

Social sustainability and social work: problems and prospects

2014

Book Chapter

International comparative research regarding vulnerable young people: reflections on methodological challenges and solutions

Healy, Karen, Julkunen, Ilse and Karvinen-Niinikoski, Synnove (2014). International comparative research regarding vulnerable young people: reflections on methodological challenges and solutions. Human rights and social equality: challenges for social work: social work-social development. (pp. 114-117) edited by Sven Hessle. Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing.

International comparative research regarding vulnerable young people: reflections on methodological challenges and solutions

2014

Book Chapter

Transforming organisations and creative practice: Social sustainability and social work: Problems and prospects

Healy, Karen (2014). Transforming organisations and creative practice: Social sustainability and social work: Problems and prospects. Global Social Transformation and Social Action: The Role of Social Workers: Social Work-Social Development Volume III. (pp. 161-164) edited by Sven Hessle. London, United Kingdom: Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781315585024-13

Transforming organisations and creative practice: Social sustainability and social work: Problems and prospects

2014

Book

Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice

Healy, Karen (2014). Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice. 2nd ed. Basingstoke, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan.

Social Work Theories in Context: Creating Frameworks for Practice

2013

Conference Publication

From investigation to collaboration: practitioner perspectives on the transition phase of parental agreements

Venables, Jemma, Healy, Karen and Harrison, Gai (2013). From investigation to collaboration: practitioner perspectives on the transition phase of parental agreements. Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Melbourne / Melbourne Convention Centre, 10 - 13 November 2013.

From investigation to collaboration: practitioner perspectives on the transition phase of parental agreements

2012

Journal Article

Parents’ perceptions of their participation in mandated family group meetings.

Darlington, Yvonne, Healy, Karen, Yellowlees, Josephine and Bosly, Fiona (2012). Parents’ perceptions of their participation in mandated family group meetings.. Children and Youth Services Review, 34 (2), 331-337. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.10.030

Parents’ perceptions of their participation in mandated family group meetings.

2012

Journal Article

Family participation in child protection practice: an observational study of family group meetings

Healy, Karen, Darlington, Yvonne and Yellowlees, Josephine (2012). Family participation in child protection practice: an observational study of family group meetings. Child and Family Social Work, 17 (1), 1-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2206.2011.00767.x

Family participation in child protection practice: an observational study of family group meetings

2012

Book

Social work methods and skills : the essential foundations of practice

Healy, Karen (2012). Social work methods and skills : the essential foundations of practice. Basingstoke , United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan.

Social work methods and skills : the essential foundations of practice

2012

Journal Article

Remembering, apologies, and truth: challenges for social work today

Healy, Karen (2012). Remembering, apologies, and truth: challenges for social work today. Australian Social Work, 65 (3), 288-294. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2012.705308

Remembering, apologies, and truth: challenges for social work today

2012

Book

Writing skills for social workers

Healy, Karen and Mulholland, Joan (2012). Writing skills for social workers. 2nd ed. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications.

Writing skills for social workers

2012

Book

Social Work Methods and Skills

Healy, Karen (2012). Social Work Methods and Skills. London, United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-0-230-36199-7

Social Work Methods and Skills

2012

Book Chapter

Critical perspectives

Healy, Karen (2012). Critical perspectives. The Sage handbook of social work. (pp. 191-206) edited by Mel Gray, James Midgley and Stephen A. Webb. London , U.K.: Sage. doi: 10.4135/9781446247648.n13

Critical perspectives

2011

Other Outputs

A study of crisis intervention and planned family support with vulnerable families: a national homelessness research project

Healy, Karen (2011). A study of crisis intervention and planned family support with vulnerable families: a national homelessness research project. Greenway, ACT, Australia: Australian Homelessness Clearinghouse.

A study of crisis intervention and planned family support with vulnerable families: a national homelessness research project

2011

Journal Article

A comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?

Healy, Karen, Lundström, Tommy and Sallnas, Marie (2011). A comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?. Australian Social Work, 64 (4), 416-431. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2011.603092

A comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?

2011

Journal Article

Parents’ participation in child protection practice: toward respect and inclusion

Healy, Karen, Darlington, Yvonne and Feeney, Judith A. (2011). Parents’ participation in child protection practice: toward respect and inclusion. Families in Society, 92 (3), 282-288. doi: 10.1606/1044-3894.4126

Parents’ participation in child protection practice: toward respect and inclusion

2011

Journal Article

Shifting the focus from expert-centred to student-centred learning resources: Creating student-centred learning resources for direct practice

Harrison, Gai, Walsh, Deborah and Healy, Karen (2011). Shifting the focus from expert-centred to student-centred learning resources: Creating student-centred learning resources for direct practice. Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 13 (1), 91-110.

Shifting the focus from expert-centred to student-centred learning resources: Creating student-centred learning resources for direct practice

2011

Journal Article

Response to Katz's comment on “Comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?”

Healy, Karen, Lundstrom, Tommy and Sallnas, Marie (2011). Response to Katz's comment on “Comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?”. Australian Social Work, 64 (4), 437-442. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2011.619269

Response to Katz's comment on “Comparison of out-of-home care for children and young people in Australia and Sweden: worlds apart?”

2010

Journal Article

Recognising and enabling social workers to promote child welfare and protection

Healy, Karen (2010). Recognising and enabling social workers to promote child welfare and protection. Australian Social Work, 63 (2), 141-144. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2010.485629

Recognising and enabling social workers to promote child welfare and protection

2010

Journal Article

Challenges in implementing participatory practice in child protection: A contingency approach

Darlington, Yvonne, Healy, Karen and Feeney, Judith A. (2010). Challenges in implementing participatory practice in child protection: A contingency approach. Children and Youth Services Review, 32 (7), 1020-1027. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.03.030

Challenges in implementing participatory practice in child protection: A contingency approach

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2028
    Supporting Healthy Lifestyle Choices to Promote Mental Health & Wellbeing of Indigenous Youth Aging-Out-of-Care in Urban Settings
    NHMRC-Canadian Institutes of Health Research Healthy Cities Implementation Science Team Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Enhancing Children's Journey in Out-of-Home Care: A Multi-perspective Study
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2024
    Evaluation of Home and Healthy
    Micah Projects Inc
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Enhancing outcomes for young people in out-of-home care who 'self-place': optimising practice and policy responses
    UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
    Open grant
  • 2020
    Defining Red Flags
    Queensland Family and Child Commission
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Establishing a longitudinal study of health and social care for young families in the Caboolture region
    Micah Projects Inc
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Intensive Family Support (IFS) Implementation and Impact Evaluation
    Parenting Research Centre Inc
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Behind a moral shield: Responses to trust breaches in mission-based groups
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Trust breaches in the not-for-profit sector: Causes, consequences and solutions
    UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund - Seed Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Analysis of Child Protection Operating Model
    KPMG
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2015
    A Study of Best Practice in Intervention with Parental Agreement: Creating Change with Families in Statutory Child Protection Services
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2013
    A study of best practice in workplace support and development of newly qualified community services workers
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    Developing an integrated national curriculum for the education of the social work and human services workforce
    Carrick Discipline Studies
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2009
    Participatory Decision Making and Policy Production in Child Welfare
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2008
    Families on the Fringe: Promoting the Social Inclusion of Young Families who have Relocated to Non-Metropolitan Areas
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005
    Citizen Engagement in Decision-Making and Policy Development in Child and Family Welfare
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2005
    Enhancing volunteer capacity to maximise the volunteer resources for contextually diverse community organisations
    Australian Catholic University
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2005
    Practical Policy Responses to the Social Relocation of Young Families with High Needs to the Coastal and Regional Areas of Qld and NSW
    UQ FirstLink Scheme
    Open grant
  • 2004 - 2005
    Enhancing services to Australian children and families: linking workforce characteristics, job quality, and quality and outcomes in social services
    University of Sydney
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Karen Healy is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Enhancing Children's Journey in Out-of-Home Care:A Multi-perspective Study (a focus on kinship care among Indigenous families)

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jemma Venables

  • Master Philosophy

    Decision-making in an Adults Emergency Department regarding child protection concerns

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Peer parent and family advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families within the child protection system

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Tracey Bunda, Dr Jemma Venables

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Assessment Models for Differential Diagnosis in Child Development: Understanding Neurodevelopment in the Context of Childhood Trauma

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Carmel Fleming, Dr Robyne Le Brocque

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The role of leaders in mitigating and responding to psychological injury risks in socio-legal services.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Jemma Venables, Dr Dorothee Hölscher

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The impact of out-of-home care on children's social-emotional wellbeing: A life course approach

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Janeen Baxter, Dr Maca San Martin Porter, Associate Professor Jenny Povey

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Karen Healy directly for media enquiries about:

  • Child abuse
  • Child protection systems - national and international practice
  • Child protection work
  • Education - social work
  • Professional identity
  • Social welfare organisations
  • Social work
  • Social work education
  • Teaching social work

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