Associate Professor Kathy Ellem
Head of Discipline, Social Work and Counselling
Associate Professor
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
+61 7 334 69013
Researcher biography
As/Prof Kathy Ellem is Head of Discipline (Social Work and Counselling) in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at The University of Queensland, Australia. Her research expertise includes participatory research methodologies (including narrative, digital and arts-based research) with people with impaired cognitive capacity; the intersectionality of disability and the criminal legal system; disability workforce development; family-centred practice and capacity building of families who have a loved one with a disability; self-advocacy for people with an intellectual disability; families who have been forced to relinquish care of their child with a disability; and parents with an intellectual disabilitiy and their experiences of the child protection system.
Kathy has previously practiced as a social worker in both government and non-government sectors, working with children, young people and their families in disability and child protection services. As a social worker, she has been actively involved in casework; case management; behavioural intervention; group work; community development; and individual, citizen and systems advocacy. She has taken on family leadership roles in the disability sector.
Kathy's academic focus is on improving the lives of people with disabilities. She is a board member of the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability, and Deputy Chair of the University fo Queensland's Disability Inclusion Group.
Kathy currently leads the Honours research course for the Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) and supervises research higher degree students in the fields of disability, mental health and health. Her work focuses on how both teaching and research can influence positive change in social work practice and in the lives of people who experience significant social disadvantage.
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Peer Parent and Family Advocacy Australian Research Council Linkage Grant |
Publications
Book
Ellem, Kathy, Harpur, Paul, Hardy, Fotina, Stein, Michael Ashley and Schormans, Ann Fudge (2025). Young people with cognitive disability in transition to adulthood: stories of survival, aspiration, and systemic failures. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/9781009408721
Book Chapters
Ellem, Kathy, Harpur, Paul and Chan, Sophelia (2025). Support provided to students with disabilities transitioning to university. The Universitas 21 Disability Inclusion Policy Mapping Report: Partnering globally to champion change. (pp. 84-87) edited by Paul Harpur. Brisbane, Qld, Australia: Universitas 21.
Lord, Janet E., Pons, William I., Stein, Michael Ashley, Ellem, Kathy and Harpur, Paul (2025). Disability hate speech and hate crimes: assessing the role of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in tackling disability-based animus. Disability hate crime: perspectives for change. (pp. 148-165) edited by Leah Burch and David Wilkin. Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003442004-11
Ellem, Kathy and Venables, Jemma (2023). Relationship-Based Practice with People with a Mild Intellectual Disability Who Have Been Socially Marginalised and Excluded. Disability Practice. (pp. 101-120) Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-99-6143-6_6
Ellem, Kathy, Denton, Michelle and Davidson, Danielle (2020). Supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities leaving prison. The Wiley handbook on what works for offenders with intellectual and developmental disabilities: an evidence-based approach to theory, assessment, and treatment. (pp. 263-281) edited by William R. Lindsay, Leam A. Craig and Dorothy Griffiths. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Son. doi: 10.1002/9781119316268.ch13
Chui, Wing Hong and Ellem, Kathy (2017). Youth justice. Social work and human services best practice. (pp. 26-48) Annandale, N.S.W., Australia: Federation Press.
MacDonald, Sarah, Ellem, Kathy and Wilson, Jill (2016). Supporting young people with an intellectual disability transitioning from out-of-home care to adult life in Queensland, Australia. Young people transitioning from out-of-home care: international research, policy and practice. (pp. 45-69) edited by Philip Mendes and Pamela Snow. London, United Kingdom : Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1057/978-1-137-55639-4_3
Journal Articles
Choi, Johnny, Ellem, Kathy and Drayton, John (2025). Supporting the recovery of NDIS participants with psychosocial disability: a narrative literature review. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 60 (4), 1038-1051. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.70005
Kelly, Berni, Gimm, Gilbert, Inger, Oterholm, Venables, Jemma, Baker, Claire, Bennwik, Ingri-Hanne Braenne, Ellem, Kathy, Lee, Joann S. and Cheatham, Leah P. (2025). Disabled youth transitioning from care: an international policy analysis. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. doi: 10.1007/s10560-025-01061-7
Ryan, Laura, Ellem, Kathy, Le Brocque, Robyne, Mitchell, Claire and Langdon, Luka (2025). Exploring perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of patient-led recording for adults with Down syndrome and their support people: A qualitative study. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 1-12. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2025.2525664
Cherry, Michael, O’Dea, Paul, Derzsi, Rhiannon, Ellem, Kathy and O’Connor, Morrie (2025). Hidden in plain sight: commentary on “Enforcement of work health and safety laws in services for people with disabilities: issues for policymakers and regulators” (Marsh, Hough, & Bigby, 2024). Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 12 (1), 21-26. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2025.2500539
Venables, Jemma, Simpson Reeves, Laura, Ellem, Kathy, Healy, Karen and Cullin, Joel (2025). Access to transition planning and support for young people who self‐place when in out‐of‐home care: the perspectives of young people and practitioners. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 60 (3), 757-767. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.391
Ryan, Laura, Ellem, Kathy, Le Brocque, Robyne, Mitchell, Claire and Langdon, Luka (2025). Navigating inclusive research in PhD studies: a model for limited resource environments. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24 16094069241311201, 1-13. doi: 10.1177/16094069241311201
Venables, Jemma, Ellem, Kathy and Nathanson, Caitlin (2024). Working Individually and collectively: assisting young people with cognitive disability transitioning from statutory systems. Journal of Applied Youth Studies, 7 (4), 505-524. doi: 10.1007/s43151-024-00141-2
Venables, Jemma, Cullin, Joel, Ellem, Kathy and Healy, Karen (2024). Diminishing their voice through choice? How ‘self-placing’ in out-of-home care affects children and young people’s participation in decision-making. European Journal of Social Work, 28 (4), 701-714. doi: 10.1080/13691457.2024.2408429
Derzsi, Rhiannon, Ellem, Kathy and O’Connor, Morrie (2024). Don’t judge a book by its cover: what the Disability Royal Commission can do for parents with intellectual disabilities. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 11 (2), 1-9. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2024.2384699
O’Dea, Paul, Cherry, Michael, Ellem, Kathy and O’Connor, Morrie (2024). Start with a vision: our thoughts on the Disability Royal Commission’s Recommendations for employment for people with intellectual disabilities. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 11 (2), 1-9. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2024.2377995
Venables, Jemma, Warrell, Chloe, Cullin, Joel, Ellem, Kathy and Healy, Karen (2024). Approaches to supporting young people in out-of-home care who ‘self-place’ in unapproved locations: Perspectives of statutory child protection practitioners. The British Journal of Social Work, 55 (1), 141-160. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcae131
Smith-Merry, Jennifer, Darcy, Simon, Dew, Angela, Hemsley, Bronwyn, Imms, Christine, O'Donovan, Mary-Ann, Gallego, Gisselle, McVilly, Keith, Gilroy, John, Carey, Gemma and Ellem, Kathy (2024). Who funds published disability research in Australia?. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 36 (1), 52-63. doi: 10.1177/10442073241228840
Harris, Paul, Ellem, Kathy, Gallagher, Hilary, Burgess, Ashley, Abson, Louise and Sunderland, Naomi (2024). Building capacity to engage in co-produced research: reflections from a digital storytelling project. Disability and Society, 39 (5), 1256-1275. doi: 10.1080/09687599.2022.2138267
Cherry, Michael, O’Dea, Paul, Ellem, Kathy and O’Connor, Morrie (2023). Abuse is everybody’s business. Commentary on “Two scandals: the death of Ann Marie Smith in Australia and the Whorlton Hall scandal in Britain” (Hough 2022). Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 10 (1), 83-86. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2023.2170272
Ellem, Kathy, Harris, Paul and Strnadová, Iva (2022). Emerging from the shadows: Digital stories of self‐advocates with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 19 (4), 360-369. doi: 10.1111/jppi.12426
O’Dea, Paul, Cherry, Michael, Ellem, Kathy and O’Connor, Morrie (2022). If you don’t fight for it, you won’t get it. Commentary on “The National Disability Insurance Scheme: voices of adults with intellectual disability” (Lloyd et al., 2022). Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 9 (1), 1-3. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2022.2055488
Smith-Merry, Jennifer, O'Donovan, Mary-Ann, Dew, Angela, Hemsley, Bronwyn, Imms, Christine, Carey, Gemma, Darcy, Simon, Ellem, Kathy, Gallego, Gisselle, Gilroy, John, Guastella, Adam, Marella, Manjula, McVilly, Keith and Plumb, Jenny (2022). The future of disability research in Australia: protocol for a multi-phase research agenda-setting exercise. JMIR Research Protocols, 11 (1) e31126, e31126. doi: 10.2196/31126
Ellem, Kathy, Smith, Louisa, Baidawi, Susan, McGhee, Adrienne and Dowse, Leanne (2020). Transcending the professional–client divide: supporting young people with complex support needs through transitions. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 37 (2), 109-122. doi: 10.1007/s10560-020-00651-x
Ellem, Kathy (2020). Commentary on “Community practitioners supporting young men with borderline intellectual functioning in the criminal justice system: capability for voice and agency” (Catalano, 2019). Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 7 (1), 49-53. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2019.1683759
Ellem, Kathy (2019). Supporting people with cognitive disabilities in contact with the criminal justice system: the importance of relationship-based practice. Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 6 (2), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/23297018.2019.1629332
Ellem, Kathy, Baidawi, Susan, Dowse, Leanne and Smith, Louisa (2019). Services to young people with complex support needs in rural and regional Australia: beyond a metro-centric response. Children and Youth Services Review, 99, 97-106. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.01.033
Ellem, Kathy and Richards, Kelly (2018). Police contact with young people with cognitive disabilities: perceptions of procedural (in)justice. Youth Justice, 18 (3), 147322541879435-247. doi: 10.1177/1473225418794357
Ellem, Kathy, Chenoweth, Lesley and Edwards, Ruth (2018). Choosing the harder road: naming the challenges for families in person-centred planning. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 23 (3), 174462951878415-412. doi: 10.1177/1744629518784154
Richards, Kelly and Ellem, Kathy (2018). Young people with cognitive disabilities and over-representation in the criminal justice system: Service provider perspectives on policing. Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 20 (2), 156-171 . doi: 10.1080/15614263.2018.1473771
Wills, Rod , Chenoweth, Lesley and Ellem, Kathy (2016). Disability and transition from state education to community life: Next steps for parents. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20 (5), 552-567. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2015.1095252
Ellem, Kathy (2015). Doing qualitative research in social work. Australian Social Work, 68 (3), 402-403. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2015.1024190
Ellem, Kathleen, Wilson, Jill and Chenoweth, Lesley (2015). When Families Relinquish Care of a Child with a Disability: Perceptions from Birthmothers. Australian Social Work, 69 (1), 39-50. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2015.1015039
Sunderland, Naomi , Chenoweth, Lesley , Matthews, Nicole and Ellem, Kathy (2015). 1000 voices: Reflective online multimodal narrative inquiry as a research methodology for disability research. Qualitative Social Work, 14 (1), 48-64. doi: 10.1177/1473325014523818
Matthews, Nicole, Ellem, Kathy and Chenoweth, Lesley I. (2013). Crafting and retelling everyday lives - Disabled people's contribution to bioethical concerns. Narrative inquiry in bioethics: A journal of qualitative research, 3 (3), 235-240. doi: 10.1353/nib.2013.0074
Chenoweth, Lesley and Ellem, Kathy (2013). 1000 voices: an online public collection of life stories. Interaction: the Australian magazine on intellectual disability, 26 (4), 30-33.
Ellem, Kathy, O'Connor, Morrie, Wilson, Jill and Williams, Sue (2013). Social work with marginalised people who have a mild or borderline intellectual disability: practicing gentleness and encouraging hope. Australian Social Work, 66 (1), 56-71. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2012.710244
Boodle, Anna, Ellem, Kathy and Chenoweth, Lesley (2013). Anna's story of life in prison. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42 (2), 117-124. doi: 10.1111/bld.12015
Ellem, Kathy (2012). Experiences of leaving prison for people with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 3 (3), 127-138. doi: 10.1108/20420921211305873
Ellem, Kathy, Wilson, Jill and Chui, Wing Hong (2012). Effective responses to offenders with intellectual disabilities: Generalist and specialist services working together. Australian Social Work, 65 (3), 398-412. doi: 10.1080/0312407X.2011.625433
Ellem, Kathy, Wilson, Jill, O'Connor, Morrie and Macdonald, Sarah (2012). Supporting young people with mild/borderline intellectual disability exiting state out-of-home care: directions for practice. Developing Practice, 32, 53-65.
Ellem, Kathleen Alicia and Wilson, Jill (2010). Life story work and social work practice: A case study with ex-prisoners labelled as having an intellectual disability. Australian Social Work, 63 (1), 67-82. doi: 10.1080/03124070903464285
Ellem, Kathleen, Wilson, Jill, Chui, Wing Hong and Knox, Marie (2008). Ethical challenges of life story research with ex-prisoners with intellectual disability. Disability and Society, 23 (5), 497-509. doi: 10.1080/09687590802177064
Conference Papers
Ellem, Kathy (2024). Carceral practices and their harms to people with cognitive disabilities and to communities. What's working well, what's not and what's next in the lives of people with intellectual disability, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 23 September 2024.
Ellem, Kathy and Venables, Jemma (2024). Upholding the rights of young people with cognitive disabilities to transition support when exiting statutory systems: A case study of social work group practice. Universitas21 Community of Practice Conference, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 15-16 May 2024.
Venables, Jemma, Ellem, Kathy, Healy, Karen and Cullin, Joel (2024). Upholding the rights and meeting the needs of young people in out-of-home care who ‘self-place’: The role of the non-government sector. Social Work and Social Development Conference, Panama and Online, 4-7 April 2024.
Ellem, Kathy (2024). People with disability surviving prison: findings from a Queensland study on people with disability and the criminal justice system. ASID Qld Division People with Cognitive Disabilities and the Criminal Justice System, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 12 March 2024.
Venables, Jemma, Cullin, Joel, Ellem, Kathy and Healy, Karen (2024). Young people’s experiences of voice and choice in decisions about their lives when self-placing: an under-explored transition from out-of-home care. Journal of Youth Studies Conference, Belfast, United Kingdom, 3-5 September 2024.
Venables, Jemma, Ellem, Kathy, Healy, Karen, Warrell, Chloe and Cullin, Joel (2024). Working together to support young people in out-of-home care who leave approved placements: the experience of practitioners. International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Uppsala, Sweden, 18-21 August 2024.
Ellem, Kathy (2024). People with borderline intellectual functioning: experiences from Australia. Korea Disabled People's Development Institute 2024 International Conference: Promoting Social Participation of Individuals with Borderline Intellectual Functioning, South Korea, Yeouido, Seoul, 10 December 2024.
Jauncey-Cooke, J., Ellem, K., Peacock, A., Hawley, G., Drayton, J. and Le Brocque, R. (2021). Undergraduate students with caregiving responsibilities relying on substance use to cope with stress. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 8-10 July 2021.
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.
Generic Document
Thesis
Ellem, Kathleen (2010). Life Stories of Ex-Prisoners with Intellectual Disability in Queensland. PhD Thesis, School of Social Work and Human Services, The University of Queensland.
Research Reports
O'Hara, Denis J., Ellem, Kathy and Witteveen, Kate (2024). Evaluation of the National Counselling and Referral Service Counselling within Correctional Centres: executive summary and final report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/8d16fc4
Ellem, K., Dowse, L., Rowe, S., Holland, L., Cullin, J., Parker, M. and Henderson, C. (2023). Insights from people with lived experience of disability and the justice system: summary report. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
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.
Smith-Merry, J., Gallego, G., Yen, I., Imms, C., Dew, A. and Research Agenda Consortium (2021). Mapping disability research in Australia. Sydney, NSW, Australia: The University of Sydney.