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Dr Katrina Stratton

Qualifications:

BSW (1st Class Honours) (UWA), PhD (UWA)

Research Interests:

I have an extensive practice and research history with vulnerable children and families.  In particular I have an interest in evaluation practice-based programmes examing outcomes for children, families and organisations.  I aim to conduct research that is inclusive and involves the opportunity for participant's voices to be heard.  I have been able to use the results of research to lobby and achieve change for and with particular client groups.

My thesis 'The Artistry of Social Work Understanding and Practice', explored the meaning of a social work as art approach for social work practice, knowledge, ethics and relationship.  I am continuing to examine a path for social work as an art into the public sphere of practice including practice principles and theoretical frameworks.

Future research plans include evaluating a rural early intervention programme for families, developing protocols and policy for a foster care group, and developing a research programme with King Edward Memorial Hospital concerned with investigating the barriers to accessing early intervention for families managing both mental health difficulties and early parenting.

Teaching Interests:

I have taught across a variety of theoretical and practice areas.  In particular, I am interested in fieldwork teaching and learning.  I enjoy the opportunity to participate in student's development as beginning practitioners, and am privileged to witness their emerging professional identity and esteem.

My teaching philosophy is shaped by my experiences as both educator and social worker.  The ethics and competencies required of me as a social worker strongly influence my teaching content, strategies and style.  My teaching philosophy is there fore embedded in the core principles of the Australian Association of Social Worker's Code of Ethics:

  • Human Dignity and Worth:  considering each student as an individual and respecting their individual strengths and challenging them to develop those.
  • Social Justice:  creating a just community of learning that respects diversity in learning, is strengths-based and considers students in their sociological context.
  • Service to Humanity:  as a service provider to students I am required to be prepared, engaged, active, ethical, available, supportive and challenging.
  • Integrity:  balance and maintain my commitments to the university, colleagues, the profession including its clients, and students.
  • Competence:  developing my teaching through a variety of collegial, reflective and training strategies.

As a social work educator, I believe I am playing an important role in preparing students for their chosen profession and the significant roles they will play in the lives of vulnerable individuals, families and communities.  As a social work educator therefore I have multiple layers of commitment: to clients, the field, the AASW colleagues, the University and of course, students.  The primary aim in my teaching therefore is to nurture in students capacities that they, the University and the profession require: to be competent and knowledgeable, critical and reflective, life-long learners, with optimism and hope and a strong sense of social work identity.

Writer's Circle:

In 2006, in partnership with Carolyn Johnson and Karen Upton-Davis, I was involved in establishing a Writer's Group within the Discipline of Social Work and Social Policy.  The group has three primary purposes, being to:

  • Encourage, stimulate and critique each other's writing
  • Develop skills and knowledge in the processes of critiquing, writing and publishing
  • Develop strategic planning and discipline for the task of writing

Our aim is to have each group member submit an article for publication to a peer-reviewed journal each academic year.  We achieved this aim in 2007, and are currently developing the protocols for the 2008 group.

The group created a structure and a number of mutual commitments that encouraged (i) the completion of different tasks and stages in article preparation (ii) peer-review and support

The group recently had an article accepted for publication in the 'Families in Society' regarding the processes and outcomes of our Writer's Group.  A link will be rovided at the time of publication.

For any information about the Writer's Group or if you are interested in joining, please contact me at stratton@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

Publications:

(Peer-reviewed Pubications)
Sole Author

  • Textual stories of the art and science of social work: an analysis of texts used in the introductory year to Australian Social Work courses, Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 2007, 9(1), pp82-97.
  • Before and Afger Science: Admissions Processes to Australian Universities, Australian Social Work, 2000, 53(3), pp29-35.

Lead Author

  • A Writer's Circle: Spiralling into Print, accepted for publication April 2008, Families in Society.
  • Hospital-based interventions at and following miscarriage: Literature to inform a research-practice initiative. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2008, 48(1), pp5-11, with Libby Lloyd.
  • Giving Parents a Voice: Changes to the Child Disability Allowance, Australian Social Work, 2000, 53(2), pp5-11, with Joanna Delaney.

Professional Publications:

  • Centre for Vulnerable Children and Families 'Business Plan 2006-2009', in partnership with Drs Brenda Clare and David Vicary.
  • Centre for Vulnerable Children and Families 'Sponsorship Prospectus', in partnership with Ms Susan Diamond.
  • Stories of Connection and Community: A history of a partnership between Department of Housing and Works and the Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Curtin University of Technology, with Victoria Cooke, Nola Kunnen, and Jennifer Utting, distributed with and for the Brownlie Towers community.
  • So, You're a Teenager and a Parent; booklet for parenting adolescents, distributed statewide, in its fourth reprint since 1999, with Bonita Travers.

Affiliations:

Secretary, UWA Social Work Alumni Committee (see http://www.socialwork.arts.uwa.edu.au/for/alumni)

Planning Committee, WA Social Worker of the Year Awards

Convener, Social Work Writer's Circle
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