Leaving care programs locally and internationally: Towards better outcomes

Prof Philip Mendes

Professor Philip Mendes is a nationally and internationally recognised researcher in several social policy areas. His research has had a significant impact on contemporary social policy debates and outcomes through providing an evidence base for informing change. The impact of his work has been especially evident in two areas, namely, young people transitioning from forms of out-of-home care (OOHC) such as foster, kinship and residential care, and social security payments including particularly conditional welfare as manifested in the compulsory income management program.

Professor Chris Goddard

Professor Goddard is Visiting Professor in Social Work at the University of Hertfordshire, and Adjunct Research Professor in Education, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of South Australia. A major focus of Professor Goddard’s research has been the experiences of health and welfare workers in child protection practice. Professor Goddard has published many journal articles and book chapters. He has also written more than 50 newspaper articles for major newspapers, including The Age, The Australian, and The Sydney Morning Herald including, in recent years, opinion pieces on child abuse and child protection failures in churches. He is currently completing a study of child abuse deaths with Victoria Police.