Education

Biography

Professor Rosemary Sheehan has 17 years’ experience as a Dispute Resolution Convenor in the Children's Court of Victoria. She is a Member of both the Women’s Correctional Services Advisory Committee (2004-12) and the Child Death Review Committee (2010-13). Provided academic consultancy for the Victorian Government’s review of child protection legislation (2002- 2003). She teaches mental health in Monash undergraduate and postgraduate social work programs and co-ordinates the Higher Degrees by Research and Master of Social Work (Forensic Studies) programmes. Her published research covers a range of areas: child welfare and the law, family violence, mental health, judicial and corrections responses to offenders, with particular reference to women offenders and ageing offenders. Her current research projects include: a longitudinal study of Women exiting prison: addressing their needs, with the Department of Justice Victoria, and Management of sexual abuse cases in the Family Division of the Children’s Court Victoria, a specialist list project implemented in 2013 and currently being evaluated; and Management of cumulative harm matters in the Family Division of the Children’s Court Victoria.

Research Interest

• Mental health
• Child protection
• Law and Society
• Social work

Scientific Activities

Professional Experience

Other Activities

• Member, Australian Research Council College of Experts.
• Governor-in-Council appointment, Dispute Resolution Conference Convenor, Children’s Court of Victoria.
• Member, Women’s Correctional Services Advisory Committee: Ministerial appointment, Parliament of Victoria Committee.
• Member, Child Death Review Committee: Ministerial appointment, Parliament of Victoria Committee.
• Council Member, Mannix College, Residential College, Monash University.
• Member, Quality and Advocacy Committee, MacKillop Family Services, Victoria.
• Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to child welfare and the law.

Honors and Awards

Publications

1. Sheehan, R., Burgess, A., Trotter, C. and Baidawi, S. (2014) Cumulative harm in child protection: A review of the literature, Report commissioned by DHS Victoria, Child Protection Branch (76 pages).
2. Sheehan R. (2013) Management of sexual abuse cases in the Family Division of the Children’s Court Victoria, Report for Legal Services Board Victoria, published by Monash University, January, 2014. ISBN 978-0-646-97912-6 (84 pages).
3. Sheehan, R., Trotter, C., Flynn, C. and Naylor, B. (2013) Post-Release Survey of Women Exiting Prison 2011-2013, Report for Justice Victoria, published by the Criminal Justice Research Consortium, Monash University, September, 2013. ISBN 978-0-646-91913-3 (295 pages).
4. Trotter, C. Sheehan R., Naylor B., (2009) The Effectiveness of Prison Transition Programs. Report for Melbourne City Mission, VACRO and affiliated agencies.
5. Sheehan, R. (2009) Parental imprisonment and child protection: a study of children presented to the Melbourne Children’s Court, Dept. of Social Work, Monash University, January 2000. (32 pages)
6. Trotter, C., Sheehan, R. and Oliaro, L. (2001), Decision making case planning and case management in child protection - a literature review, Department of Human Services, Victoria (72 pages).
7. Sheehan, R., Pead-Erbrederis, C. and McLoughlin, A. (2000) The Icarus Project: A Study of Professional Interventions with Mentally Ill Parents and their Children; The Australian Contribution. Dept. of Social Work, Monash University, January 2000. (92 pages) ISBN 03261788X.
8. Trotter, C., Sheehan, R., Strong, D., Liddell, M. and Laragy, C. (1999) Evaluation of the Statewide Implementation of Family Group Conferencing in Child Protection, DHS Victoria and Department of Social Work and Human Services, Monash University (82 pages) ISBN 0 730651177.
9. Sheehan, R. (1998) A Study of Child Protection and the Legal Process: How Victoria Compares with the Approaches of England, Scotland and Ireland, Department of Social Work and Human Services, Monash University, December, 1998. (72 pages) ISBN 0731109244.
10. Brown, T., Frederico, M., Hewitt, L. and Sheehan, R. (1998) Violence in Families, Monash University, Department of Social Work and Human Services (123 pages).
11. Brown, T., Frederico, M., Hewitt, L. and Sheehan, R. (1997) Justice Delayed: Child Abuse and the Family Court of Australia, Department of Social Work and Human Services, Monash University, Clayton, October, 1997 (74 pages).