Dr. Elizabeth Fernandez

Biography

Elizabeth Fernandez is a Professor of Social Work at the School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. With over four decades of experience, her research and teaching focus on critical areas including child abuse, trauma, family violence, child protection, and field-based learning supervision. She has specialized in research practices relating to children and families, child youth wellbeing, early intervention, risk assessment, and legal intervention for children. Fernandez has conducted extensive research in collaboration with government departments and non-government organizations to inform social policy and program development. Her notable publications include significant works in child wellbeing and social work education. She holds roles such as Co-Editor in Chief for the Children and Youth Services Review and serves on multiple editorial boards. Over the years, she has received numerous accolades, including the International Society Child Indicators Award for outstanding contributions to child indicators research and recognition for her outstanding postgraduate research supervision at UNSW. Fernandez is known for her commitment to research that addresses vulnerable families and children's services, contributing to both national and international perspectives in her field.

Research Interests