Rebecca Starrs

Senior Lecturer in Social Work

College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

place Social Science South
Key responsibilities

Rebecca is the Deputy Teaching Program Director of the Social Work discipline. Additionally, Rebecca is the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and maintains leadership responsibility for this Degree.

Rebecca holds active leadership, membership and responsibility in the following groups:

  • Chair of the Bachelor of Social Work, Course Quality Advisory Group (CQAG)
  • Chair of the Social Work Student Course Advisory Committee
  • Chair of the Fitness for Placement Panel- Social Work
  • Flinders Panel Member- Student Appeals Committee and Board of Inquiry
  • Social Work Leadership Group
  • Inter Professional Practice in Child Protection Research Team member
  • Member of the SA Health Statewide Social Work Advisory Group
Teaching interests

Rebecca holds extensive experience in tertiary teaching and industry level statewide training and system re-design (with nearly 20 years in social work practice). Rebecca is committed to curriculum review/re-design, evaluation, innovation and contemporary (industry inclusive) teaching to prepare students to become "career ready graduates".

Rebecca's areas of interest in teaching include:

  • inter professional practice
  • trauma and resilience
  • child protection
  • corrections and offender rehabilitation
  • work-integrated learning
  • grief and loss (well-being and self care)
  • core communication skills and motivational interviewing
  • strengths-based practice
  • evidence-based practice
  • trauma-informed practice
  • violence and abuse
  • political and environmental impacts on human service organizations

Rebecca has a specific interest in critically analyzing structural, political and systemic organizational influences, that either impede, and/or enhance social work practice, staff retention and best outcomes for clients.