Dr Carmela Bastian

Carmela Bastian is an academic (teaching and researching) at Flinders University and is responsible for the child protection portfolio within social work and within the university. Carmela, has over twenty years’ experience in the field of child protection and human services as a professional social work practitioner and academic. She has worked in government and non-government organisations nationally and internationally. Her employment history exemplifies a wide range of experiences including front line practitioner, policy and program manager, involvement in service development, and senior advisor to the Deputy Chief Executive at the Department for Child Protection in South Australia.

Carmela’s PhD research “The moral status of children in child protection: the case for emerging from our moral ignorance” engaged in a philosophical deliberation asserting that children are valuable members of the human community illuminating the criticality of relationships, rights and obligations. This discourse informed an in-depth analysis of the statutory child protection services. Findings indicated that the receipt of statutory child protection responses, for children at the centre of the study, did not alleviate their experiences of oppression and harm. Transformation within statutory child protection is contingent on an in depth understanding of the realities of children's lives and a workforce that is capable and confident.

My teaching responsibilities predominantly focus on teaching social work knowledge and skill development in working with children. and families in contexts of complexity and raising the profile of child protection within Flinders University. Carmela is involved in an extensive research focusing on theorising practice and improving outcomes for children, young people and their families. All research is conducted as a member of the Social Work Innovation Living Space (SWIRLS) and in partnership with industry partners in South Australia.