Dr Jemma Venables
Program Lead, Master of Social Work Studies
Lecturer
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
+61 7 336 51258

Researcher biography
Dr Jemma Venables is a social work lecturer and joined the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at UQ in 2017. Her research explores the policy-practice interface in child, youth and family practice. In particular, Jemma's research focuses on the intersection of statutory child protection, family support services, domestic and family violence (DFV) and transition from out-of-home care support. Underpinning her research is a key interest in collaboration, inter-agency working and justice. Within the school, Jemma draws on her research and practice experience to teach into undergraduate and post-graduate courses that explore the interface of law, policy and social work practice.
Publications
Journal Articles
Healy, Karen, Venables, Jemma and Walsh, Tamara (2023). Supporting birth parents’ relationships with children following removal: a scoping review. Children and Youth Services Review, 149 106961, 106961. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.106961
Venables, Jemma and Walsh, Tamara (2023). An interdisciplinary classroom in law and social work: can it be done?. Legal Education Review, 33 (1), 1-23. doi: 10.53300/001c.74263
Healy, Karen, Walsh, Tamara, Venables, Jemma and Thompson, Kate (2022). Looked after children's right to contact with birth parents: an Australian study. Child and Family Social Work. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12992
Walsh, Tamara, Healy, Karen, Venables, Jemma and Thompson, Kate (2022). Are human rights ‘toothless’ in Australian child protection matters? Perspectives of lawyers and social workers. International Journal of Law, Policy and the Family, 36 (1) ebac028, 1-16. doi: 10.1093/lawfam/ebac028
Venables, Jemma and Warrell, Chloe (2020). BEROS: A Response to Working with Young People who are Self-Placing & in the Care of Child Safety. Parity, 33 (3), 86-87.
Venables, Jemma (2019). Practitioner perspectives on implementing an alternative response in statutory child protection: the role of local practice context and leadership teams in shaping practice. Children and Youth Services Review, 107 104488, 104488. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104488
Venables, Jemma and Healy, Karen (2019). Collaborating with parents during intervention with parental agreement: practitioner perspectives on procedural justice. Child & Family Social Work, 24 (1), 33-41. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12578
Venables, Jemma, Healy , Karen and Harrison, Gai (2015). From investigation to collaboration: Practitioner perspectives on the transition phase of parental agreements. Children and Youth Services Review, 52, 9-16. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2015.02.007
Healy, Karen, Harrison, Gai, Venables, Jemma and Bosly, Fiona (2014). Collaborating with families in differential responses: practitioners' views. Child and Family Social Work, 21 (3), 1-11. doi: 10.1111/cfs.12149
Conference Papers
Venables, Jemma and Walsh, Tamara (2022). Preparing social work students for interdisciplinary practice with lawyers: Student views on a pilot interdisciplinary teaching initiative. Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research Symposium, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10-11 November 2022.
Venables, Jemma, Young, Amy and O'Leary, Patrick (2022). Addressing son-to-mother violence in the aftermath of domestic violence: Using the lived experiences of mothers and sons involved in a group program to optimise policy and practice responses. Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research Symposium, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 10-11 November 2022.
Venables, Jemma and Warrell, Chloe (2021). Supporting Young people in OOHC who are ‘self-placing’: What do they value in a service? . 26th Asia-Pacific Regional Social Work Conference (hosted by IFSW & AASW), Online, 11-13 November 2021.
Healy, Karen, Venables, Jemma, Walsh, Tamara and Thompson, Kate (2021). The right to family contact following child removal: Will the Human Rights Act make a difference. 26th Asia-Pacific Regional Social Work Conference (hosted by IFSW & AASW), Online, 11-13 November 2021.
Young, Amy, Venables, Jemma and O'Leary, Patrick (2021). The aftermath of domestic violence, trauma and son-to-mother violence: Experiences from young people engaged in program responses. 26th Asia-Pacific Regional Social Work Conference (hosted by IFSW & AASW), Online, 11-13 November 2021.
Venables, J., Young, A., O’Leary, P. and Boddy, J. (2019). Renewing mother-son relationships following domestic and family violence: Supporting women to attend a group work program. International Conference on Change and Innovation for a Better World: The Future of Social Work, Hong Kong, 27-28th June 2019.
Venables, J. (2019). The role of leadership teams in shaping office culture towards collaborative practice in statutory child protection: Practitioner perspectives. International Conference on Change and Innovation for a Better World: The Future of Social Work, Hong Kong, 27-28th June 2019.
Venables, J. and Ellem, K. (2019). Preparing social work students for research: Using student perceptions of their research knowledge, confidence and preparedness to inform curriculum design. Australia and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research Conference, Perth, WA, Australia, 3-4th October 2019.
Venables, Jemma, Young, Amy, O'Leary, Patrick and Boddy, Jenny (2019). Mother-to-son violence: Rebuilding relationships following experiences of violence. Child Aware, Brisbane, Australia, 16-17 May 2019.
Venables, Jemma and O'Leary, Patrick (2018). Implementing differential responses to domestic violence and child protection: practitioner perspectives on an inter-agency collocation trial. Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference (SWSD 2018), Dublin, Ireland, 4-7 July 2018.
Venables, Jemma, Tilbury, Clare and Jenkins, Brian (2018). Supporting young people in their transition from out-of-home care: what young people value in an after-care service. Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference (SWSD 2018), Dublin, Ireland, 4-7 July 2018.
Venables, Jemma and Healy, Karen (2018). Collaborating with parents during intervention with parental agreement: practitioner perspectives on procedural justice. Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference (SWSD 2018), Dublin, Ireland, 4-7 July 2018.
Venables, Jemma, Healy, Karen and Harrison, Gai (2013). From investigation to collaboration: practitioner perspectives on the transition phase of parental agreements. Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Melbourne / Melbourne Convention Centre, 10 - 13 November 2013.
Thesis
Venables, Jemma (2016). Collaborative practice in statutory in child protection practice: Parental agreements and procedural justice. PhD Thesis, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2016.835
Seminar Papers
Venables, Jemma and Walsh, Tamara (2022). You can’t teach law & social work students together…Or can you? Student views on a pilot IPE initiative. UQ Teaching and Learning Showcase: Teaching and Learning Week 2022. T.C. Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland.
Venables, Jemma, Young, Amy and O'Leary, Patrick (2021). What is Adolescent-to-Parent Violence? . Griffith University.
Young, Amy, Venables, Jemma and O'Leary, Patrick (2021). Complex and competing needs: Addressing son-to-mother violence. Griffith University.
Research Reports
Venables, Jemma, Ellem, Kathy and Nathanson, Caitlin (2022). Finding out about the ARROS PLACE program: Supporting young people with cognitive disability and experiences of child protection &/or youth justice involvement. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
O'Leary, Patrick, Young, Amy and Venables, Jemma (2021). Evaluation of the Renew/Safer Families Program. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Griffith University.
Venables, Jemma (2020). Brisbane Emergency Response & Outreach Service: Final Report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
O'Leary, Patrick, Young, Amy, Venables, Jemma and Boddy, Jenny (2019). Evaluation of ReNew: Final Report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Griffith University.
Venables, Jemma, Tilbury, Clare and Jenkins, Brian (2017). Evaluation of the Next Step After Care Services: Final Report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Griffith University.