Susan Gair

Brief description

Core research interests of Associate Professor Susan Gair are informed by a commitment to social justice, reconciliation, and improved social policy and social work practice. Her key teaching and research interests are concerned with preparing the Australian social work workforce for social work practice inclusive of Indigenous knowledges and ways of working; reflective practice; critical empathy; and creative research methods for evidence-based practice. Her research interests include child adoption policy and practice, racism, and culturally inclusive practice. Most recently, collaborating with key industry partners, A/Prof Gair explored optimising grandparents' contact with grandchildren after child protection concerns, and she conducted research on the impact of inadequate income on students' study success with the National Association of Social Work (AASW).A/Prof Gair's leadership in her field is demonstrated with her research findings and publications informing national social policy. For example, Susan's recent research findings on student poverty informed the 2018 national submissions by the Australian Association of Social Work and St Vincent de Paul Society National Council to the Commonwealth Government highlighting the inadequate rate of Youth Allowance.A recent publication is Sharing Qualitative Research: Showing Lived Experience and Community Narratives published by Routledge in 2017.Most recently A/Prof Gair has presented her research findings on student poverty to the European Social Work Research conference in Aalborg, Denmark in April, 2017; and findings from the student poverty study (invited speaker) and the Grandparents study to the ANZSWWER conference in Auckland, NZ, in 2017.A/Prof Gair's professional communication and engagement includes:- writing for 'The Conversation' where her articles have attracted over 29,000 readers- a commissioned report for the Australian Association of Social Workers submitted to the Commonwealth Inquiry into past adoption practices- facilitating writing groups for social work practitioners employed by Queensland Health- facilitating a women's writing group in a North Queensland that resulted in publications for attendees with Black Ink Press.

A/Prof Susan Gair