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)

101 - 109 of 109 works

2001

Journal Article

Participatory action research and social work: A critical appraisal

Healy, Karen (2001). Participatory action research and social work: A critical appraisal. International Social Work, 44 (1), 93-105. doi: 10.1177/002087280104400108

Participatory action research and social work: A critical appraisal

2000

Journal Article

Responding to uncertainty:Critical social work education in the postmodern habitat

Healy, Karen and Leonard, Peter (2000). Responding to uncertainty:Critical social work education in the postmodern habitat. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 11 (1), 23-48. doi: 10.1300/J059v11n01_03

Responding to uncertainty:Critical social work education in the postmodern habitat

1999

Journal Article

Family support and social inclusion: Practice and policy issues in Australia

Healy, K. E. and Darlington, Y. M. (1999). Family support and social inclusion: Practice and policy issues in Australia. Just Policy, 16 (September), 3-10.

Family support and social inclusion: Practice and policy issues in Australia

1999

Book Chapter

Power and activist social work

Healy, Karen (1999). Power and activist social work. Transforming social work practice: postmodern critical perspectives. (pp. 115-134) London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203164969-11

Power and activist social work

1999

Conference Publication

Social work research in Australia

O'Connor, I., Healy, K. and Rosenman, L. S. (1999). Social work research in Australia. 1997 Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of APASWE and IFSWc, Bangkok, Thailand, 1997. Bangkok Thailand: Thammasat University, Bangkok.

Social work research in Australia

1998

Journal Article

Participation and child protection: The importance of context

Healy, Karen (1998). Participation and child protection: The importance of context. British Journal of Social Work, 28 (6), 897-914. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjsw.a011407

Participation and child protection: The importance of context

1998

Book Chapter

Social work

Rosenman, L., O'Connor, I. and Healy, K. (1998). Social work. Challenges for social sciences in Australia. (pp. 215-221) Canberra, ACT Australia: Australian Govt. Pub. Services.

Social work

1996

Other Outputs

Poststructural possibilities for activist social work : a discourse analysis of practice

Healy, Karen (1996). Poststructural possibilities for activist social work : a discourse analysis of practice. PhD Thesis, School of Social Work and Applied Human Sciences, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.737

Poststructural possibilities for activist social work : a discourse analysis of practice

1995

Journal Article

From Silence to Activism: Approaches to Research and Practice with Young Mothers

Healy, Karen and Peile, Colin (1995). From Silence to Activism: Approaches to Research and Practice with Young Mothers. Affilia, 10 (3), 280-298. doi: 10.1177/088610999501000305

From Silence to Activism: Approaches to Research and Practice with Young Mothers

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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