Dr Brenda Clare

Qualifications:

BA (Hons) Sussex, MA (Sussex), MSW (Sussex), CQSW, PhD (UWA)
 
Research Interests:

Child and family welfare, children at risk of abuse, professional practice and social work education, reunification and risk in child placement.
 
Teaching Interests:

Fieldwork Practice

Profile:

I have been a social worker since 1971, working in England and Australia. My practice area has always been with families where children are at risk. Within this broad field I have worked in statutory settings as a child protection worker and as a specialist placement worker. In 1990 I moved from a statutory to a non-government setting, establishing and managing a specialist family reunification programme. I have a longstanding commitment to professional education and to equipping social workers to be empowered and strategic practitioners and in 1997, I altered course and took time out to start my PhD, looking at the education of social workers. I joined the academic staff at UWA in 2001, and I continue to focus on the ‘applied’ learning of students in my role as Fieldwork Coordinator. I am currently developing a training programme for new field supervision, and I work with agencies to help practitioners relate their practice experience to the changing theoretical context within which they work.

Publications and Research Reports:

Clare B. & Mevik, K. (forthcoming, January 2008) ‘Inclusive Education’: Teaching Social Work Students to Work with Children’, Journal of Social Work

Clare, B. (2007) ‘Promoting Deep Learning: A Teaching, Learning and Assessment Endeavour’ Social Work Education 26(5), 433-447

Clare, B. & Stratton K. (2007) The Saranna Programme: An Evaluation. Report commissioned by Cyrenian House

Clare, B. (2006) ‘Developing a Robust Professional Identity: Stories from Practice’. Social Work Review 18(4, 37-46

Clare, M., Clare B. & Peaty, M. (2006) ‘Children Who Foster’- The Impact on the Children of Foster Carers when Foster Children Reside in Foster Families  Report commissioned through the Centre for Vulnerable Children (UWA), Commissioned by the Foster Care Association (WA) and funded by Lotterywest

Penter, C, Kant R & Clare B (2005) Child Protection Training Project, commissioned by the Ministerial Advisory Council On Child Protection (WA)

Clare, B. and Peaty, A. (2005) Evaluation: Anglicare Teenshare Community Connect Programme, commissioned by Anglicare

Clare, B and Johnson, C (2005) Report on Implementation of Initiatives to Support Children Funded Through the Western Australian State Homelessness Strategy, commissioned by SAAP State Advisory Committee

Clare B and Farray, N. (2003) Evaluation of the Dads and Kids Programme, funded by Lotteries Commission

Clare, B. (2003) Social Work and Social Working: Stories of Learning and Identity Development. PhD Thesis University of Western Australia

Clare, B. (2002) ‘Family Reunification: Rhetoric and Risks’ Children Australia 27(3), 19-25

Clare, B. (2002) ‘ Learning, Doing and Becoming: The Reflections of New Practitioners’ Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education 4(1), 3-14

Clare, B. (2001) ‘Meeting the Health Care Needs of Children in Out-of-home-care: Managing the Care Journey.’ Children Australia 26(1), 27-33

Clare, B. (2001) ‘One practitioner’s reflections on the reconstruction and re-conceptualisation of social work: a response to McDonald and Jones and colleagues.’  Australian Social Work 54(1)

Clare, B. (2000)  ‘An Investigation into the Health Needs of, and General Practice Services  for, Children in Out-of-Home Care in Perth’ - Report for the Study: Understanding and Improving the Provision of General Practice Services to Children in State Care. Funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care: principal researchers: Professor P. Underwood and Mr M. Clare
 

Clare, B. (2000) ‘Becoming a Social Worker: Learning, Doing and Being, in Harris, J et al (eds) Reclaiming Social Work: The Southport Papers.  Birmingham: Venture Press

Clare, B. (1999)  ‘The Theory in the Practice; The Practice in the Theory; The Person in  the Role’ in J. Harris (Ed), Social Work - Making a Difference. London: Ventura Press

Clare, B. (1998) Needs Survey - Accommodation Needs of Former Residents of Christian  Brothers’ Institutions in Western Australia.  Report commissioned by the Christian  Brothers (May)

Clare, B. (1997) Worker Authority and the ‘Involuntary Client’ - The Unacceptable Face of  Child Protection Practice?  Paper accepted for publication in an Occasional Paper  (School of Social Work, UWA)

Clare, B., Murphy, P. and Peerless, H. (1995)  Mapping the Intensity of ‘Family Support’  Service Use by  Parents with an Intellectual Disability  - Research Project funded by  the Commonwealth Department for Human Services and Health (Canberra) and  conducted in Mofflyn Child and Family Services.

Clare, B. (1995) Risking All in a Residential Context: Developing a Reunification  Programme. Proceedings of the National Conference of the British Association of Social Workers. (Brighton, England)

Clare, B. (1995) Reunification Work - Get Them Home Safely - Or Just Get Them Home?   What Are the Criteria for Success?  Proceedings of the National Family  Preservation Practice Symposium (Adelaide)

Clare, B. (1993) Worker Authority and Change-Agent Activity as Essential Bookends for  Family Centred Practice. Proceedings of 2nd National Family Preservation Conference (Melbourne)
 

Clare, B (1993) Worker Authority and Change-Agent Activity as Essential Bookends for  Family Centred Practice. Proceedings of 1st West Australian Family Preservation Conference (Perth)
 

Clare, B. (1983) Needs and Resources in the Seaford Town Patch. An internal report for East Sussex Social Services Department utilised in the planning and co-ordination of service provision in the area.

Clare, B. (1981) Foster Parent Payments:  An internal report for East Sussex Social Services considering the ethical/organisational issues underlying payment policy.  This document was used as a framework for restructuring payment procedures in the county.

Clare, B. and Kedward, C. (1979) The Needs of Young People in Brighton. National Council  of Voluntary Organisations (London)

Clare, B. and Badham, P. (1973) An Application of Kelly’s Construct Theory to the Consideration of Relationship Patterns at Several Levels within a Statutory Local Government Social Work Organisation. Thesis presented for the Degree of Master of Social Work at the University of Sussex, England

Clare, B. (1970) A Study of Social Interaction on a Newly Developed Housing Estate in Liverpool - Socio-Ecological Study of Factors Influencing the Establishment of Supportive Networks. Thesis presented for Degree of Master of Arts at the University of Sussex, England

2007 ‘Recovering Together, Rediscovering Each Other: Mothers and Children in  the Saranna Program’. Paper presented at the 16 WA Drug and Alcohol Symposium: Working Out What Works

2006 ‘Emotional Health in the Workplace’ Video Lecture for Rural Pratitioners (Australian Association of Social Workers) May

Accountable practice- Defensible practice, Same or Different? Workshop presented to
senior staff of the Department of Justice,  January
 

Mandate, Role and Training Needs: Where Teachers Fit in the Child Protection
System. Independent Schools Conference, February

‘Moving Between Worlds: Learning About and Practising Practice’ Experiences in Professional Education Conference (PEPE 2006) Aukland, NZ (February)

Developing a Robust Professional Identity: Stories from Practice Social Work Education Symposium: Social Work Education: The Impact of Registration , Aukland NZ (February)

Teaching Social Work Students to Work with Children 10th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (ACAAN) Wellington NZ (February)

2005 Fieldwork Assessment and Outcome-Based Education Creating a Pedagogy for Change Australian Association for Social Work and Welfare Education (ASSWE) November
 
   
Working with Family Reunification: issues for Practitioners Workshop for DCD staff
SW Region (June)

Thinking about Reunification work Invited lecture for staff and professional practitioners, school of social work and Education, Universit of Sussexs, Brighton UK (June)

Clare B, Placement Learning: Australian Reflections Keynote Presentation, 4th International Conference on Practice Teaching. York (UK) April 2004

Do as I Say, Not as I do: Unintentional Role Modelling Workshop presentation 4th International Conference on Practice Teaching. York (UK) April 2004 ASSWE

2004 Clare B Thinking about Emotional Health Annual State Conference, Centrelink. Perth, November

Clare, B., Dixon, P & Terry, J. Reflecting in, on and for practice: Stories of reunification work.  Knowledge into Action: Effective Practice for Child and Family Services (ACWA): Sydney, July 2004
 

Clare, B. Educating for Professional Robustness and Wise Practice:  Workshop presentation: 2001

Clare, B. The Rhetoric and Risks of Family Reunification:  Pomer Project Closing Conference Bödo University, Norway. June 2001

Clare, B. ‘Invisible’ Children: Unmet Needs: 12th IFCO Biennial International Conference: Veldoven, Holland.  July 2001

Clare, B. Family Reunification – Ideology and Evidence:  Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Melbourne. November 2001

2000 Clare, B. Learning, Doing and Becoming: the Reflections of Social Work Students on their Field Placements. Presented at the National Field Education Conference “No Easy Answers: Addressing Issues in Field Education (Deakin University, Geelong) November

Clare, B. and Clare, M. Meeting the Health Care Needs of Children in Out-of-Home-Care: Guiding and ‘Holding' Them Through the Care Journey. Presented at the Forum 2000: Children First Conference (Sydney), May

1999 Clare, M. and Clare, B. Looking Back and Thinking Forward:  A Family of Origin Perspective.  A day workshop focusing on the renewal of professional skills and values, offered at the State Conference of the Australian Association of Social Workers (WA), September (Perth)

1998 Clare, B.  Diamonds or Coal? It All Depends On The Way They Are Formed. Presented at the National Australian Association of Social Work and Welfare Educators’ Conference in Cairns (September)

1997 Clare, B. Family Assessment: The Challenges for Workers and Clients. Offered at the OHPAC Vision Workshop, 25 Sept. (Perth)

Clare, B. The Essentials of Safe and Effective Reunification Work — the Western Australian Experience. Presented at the National Congress of the British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect: Approaching the Millennium - The Future Shape of Child  Protection, 8-11 July (Edinburgh)

Clare, B. A Framework for Family Assessment   Offered at the OHPAC  Vision Day,  27 Jun (Perth)

Clare, B. Back to Basics - a day workshop focusing on the renewal of professional skills and values. Offered for staff at Anglicare, March (Perth)

Clare, B. Back to Basics - a day workshop focusing on the renewal of professional skills and values.  Offered at the State Conference of the Australian Association of Social Workers, September (Perth)

 
1996 Clare, B. ‘Questions About Reunification - What are the Essentials of Safe and Effective Practice?’  a day workshop offered to the OHPAC Industry, June (Perth)

Clare, B. The Essentials of Safe and Effective Practice: A day workshop offered to social work staff of the Disability Services Commission, February (Perth)

1995 Clare, B., Murphy, P. and Peerless, H. ‘Mapping ‘Family Support’ Service Use by  Parents with an Intellectual Disability’ Paper presented at the West Australian State Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability,  November(Perth)

Clare. B., Murphy, P. and Peerless, H. ‘Mapping the Intensity of ‘Family Support’  Service used by Parents with Intellectual Disabilities,’ Paper presented at the  National Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability,  September (Melbourne)

Clare, B. Fariss, N. and Peerless, H. Mapping Service Use by Parents with an  Intellectual Disability: Implications for Managing Risk Issues for Children  5th  Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (Melbourne)

1994 Clare, B. and Fariss, N. ‘Developing Effective Partnerships’ A day workshop  offered at the State Conference of the Australian Association of Socia Workers, September (Perth)

1993 Clare, B. Back to Basics - a day workshop focusing on the renewal of professional skills and values.  Offered at the State Conference of the Australian Association of Social Workers, September (Perth)

1992 Clare, B. Developing a Performance Appraisal Process: The Mofflyn Model.   National Conference, Australian Association of Social Workers ( Newcastle)

Brenda Clare, November 2007