Dr BJ Newton

Dr BJ Newton

Lecturer

BSW/BA (Hons) UNSW, PhD (Social Policy/ Social Work) UNSW

Arts,Design & Architecture
School of Social Sciences

BJ Newton, PhD (Social Work/ Social Policy), University of NSW, BA (hons. In sociology), University of New South Wales, B Social Work, University of New South Wales.

BJ Newton is a proud Wiradjuri woman and mother to three young children. She is a Scientia Senior Research Fellow based at the Social Policy Research Centre within UNSW Sydney. BJ specialises in Indigenous research methods and child protection research and policy. Her research focuses on working in partnership with Aboriginal organisations to build evidence and support Aboriginal families interfacing with child protection systems.

BJ's current research, Bring them home, keep them home investigates the rates, outcomes and experiences of successful and sustainable restoration for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care. This is a four-year research project running from mid-2021 to mid-2025 in partnership with Aboriginal organisations in NSW.

BJ has extensive experience working on a range of child protection and domestic and family violence commissioned research for NSW DCJ, and multiple projects for the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. BJ was the inaugural Associate Dean (Indigenous) of the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, a position held from January 2021- August 2022 when she accepted the Scientia academic position which enables her to focus on her research and impact.

 

Phone
+61 2 9385 4013
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Hu N; Gelaw YA; Katz I; Fernandez E; Falster K; Hanly M; Newton BJ; Stephensen J; Hotton P; Zwi K; Lingam R, 2024, 'Developmental trajectories of socio-emotional outcomes of children and young people in out-of-home care – Insights from data of Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS)', Child Abuse and Neglect, 149, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106196
    Journal articles | 2023
    Newton BJ; Katz I; Gray P; Frost S; Gelaw Y; Hu N; Lingam R; Stephensen J, 2023, 'Restoration from out-of-home care for Aboriginal children: Evidence from the pathways of care longitudinal study and experiences of parents and children', Child Abuse and Neglect, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106058
    Journal articles | 2022
    Turnbull-Roberts V; Salter M; Newton BJ, 2022, 'Trauma then and now: Implications of adoption reform for First Nations children', Child and Family Social Work, 27, pp. 163 - 172, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12865
    Journal articles | 2021
    Blunden H; Giuntoli G; Newton BJ; Katz I, 2021, 'Victims/Survivors’ Perceptions of Helpful Institutional Responses to Incidents of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse', Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 30, pp. 56 - 79, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2020.1801932
    Journal articles | 2021
    Newton BJ, 2021, 'Creating Cultural Safety as an Aboriginal Teacher in a Class of Non-Aboriginal University Students', Australian Social Work, 74, pp. 4 - 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2020.1799422
    Journal articles | 2020
    Newton BJ, 2020, 'Aboriginal parents' experiences of having their children removed by statutory child protection services', Child and Family Social Work, 25, pp. 814 - 822, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12759
    Journal articles | 2019
    Newton BJ, 2019, 'Understanding child neglect in Aboriginal families and communities in the context of trauma', Child and Family Social Work, 24, pp. 218 - 226, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12606
    Journal articles | 2017
    Newton BJ, 2017, 'An Aboriginal community's perceptions and experiences of child neglect in a rural town:', Australian Journal of Social Issues, 52, pp. 262 - 277, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajs4.18
    Journal articles | 2013
    Hill T; Cass B; Newton BJ; valentine K, 2013, 'Indigenous carers', Social Policy Research Papers
  • Working Papers | 2016
    Katz I; Newton BJ; Bates S; Raven M, 2016, Evaluation theories and approaches: relevance for Aboriginal contexts, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney, http://dx.doi.org
  • Reports | 2020
    Robinson S; valentine K; Newton BJ; Smyth C; Parmenter N, 2020, Violence prevention and early intervention for mothers and children with disability: Building promising practice, ANROWS, Sydney, https://www.anrows.org.au/project/mothers-and-children-with-disability-using-early-intervention-services-identifying-and-sharing-promising-practice/
    Reports | 2019
    Breckenridge J; Zmudzki F; Newton BJ; Delaney M; valentine K, 2019, Evaluation of the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service Program, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/5beca33f96dfb
    Reports | 2018
    Bedford M; Skattebol J; Newton BJ; Milligan V, 2018, Improving Educational Outcomes for Young People in Social Housing: Strive Scholarships - Final Report, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/5bd63d0901395
    Reports | 2017
    Katz I; Jones A; Newton BJ; Reimer E, 2017, Life journeys of victim/survivors of child sexual abuse in institutions: an analysis of Royal Commission private sessions, Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Sydney, https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/file-list/research_report_-_life_journeys_of_victim_survivors_of_child_sexual_abuse_in_institutions_-_causes.pdf
    Reports | 2017
    Raven M; Katz I; Newton BJ; Bates S, 2017, OCHRE Evaluation Plan: Overview and Stage 1, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Newton BJ, 2016, 'Aboriginal parenting in a rural NSW town: A shift from collective child rearing practices', presented at Association for Children’s Welfare Agencies Conference 2016, Sydney, 15 August 2016 - 17 August 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Newton BJ, 2016, 'Views and experiences of child neglect and risk factors to child safety in an Aboriginal community', presented at Association for Children’s Welfare Agencies Conference 2016, Sydney, 15 August 2016 - 17 August 2016
    Reports | 2015
    Giuntoli G; Newton B; Fisher KR, 2015, Current Models of Health Service Delivery for People with Intellectual Disability: Literature review, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, SPRC Report 12/2015, http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/SPRC_Report_Current_Models_of_Health_Service_Delivery_for_People_with_Intellectual_Disability.pdf
    Reports | 2014
    Purcal C; Newton BJ; Fisher KR; Mears T; Smith M; Gibson S; Nagle W; Slabon K, 2014, School readiness program for Aboriginal children with additional needs: working with children, families, communities and service providers, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, 3/2014, https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/2014_School_readiness_program_for_Aboriginal_children__Final_evaluation.pdf
    Reports | 2013
    Bates ; Raven ; Fisher KR; Kayess ; Newton ; Lutz ; Smedley C, 2013, Services Our Way project plan, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW, Sydney, 20/2013, https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Services_Our_Way_evaluation_plan_FINAL.pdf
    Reports | 2013
    Newton B; valentine K, 2013, Linking Schools and Early Years project evaluation (final report), 15/2013, https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/SPRC_Reports_LSEY_2013_FINAL.pdf
    Reports | 2013
    Purcal ; Newton ; Fisher KR; Eastman ; Mears T; Smith M; Gibson S, 2013, School readiness program for Aboriginal children with additional needs: working with children, families, communities and service providers (interim evaluation report), 4/2013
    Reports | 2012
    Hilferty F; Newton BJ; Katz I, 2012, Preventing child abuse and neglect through a common approach to assessment, referral and support: Evaluating the trial (stage 2), Social Policy Research Centre UNSW, Sydney, SPRC Report 07/13, https://www.aracy.org.au/documents/item/128
    Reports | 2011
    Newton B; Rajkovic M; Adamson E; valentine K, 2011, Evaluation of the Demonstration Support Networks Program: Final Report. Report for: Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Family and Community Services, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney
    Reports | 2011
    Newton BJ; Eastman ; Rajkovic ; valentine K, 2011, Linking Schools and Early Years project evaluation (data collection round 2), 2/2012
    Reports | 2010
    Eastman C; Newton B; Rajkovic M; valentine K, 2010, Linking Schools and Early Years Project Evaluation: Data collection Round 2, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney, SPRC Report 2/2011, http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/File/Report2_11_LSEY.pdf
    Reports | 2008
    Davidson RT; Spooner CJ; Fisher KR; Newton B; Dadich A; Smyth C; Tudball J; Flaxman S, 2008, Indigenous Research Strategy: Working better with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney, Report 14/08, http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/File/Report14_08_SPRC_Indigenous_Strategy.pdf
    Reports | 2008
    Spooner C; Thompson D; Newton BJ; Patulny R; Rowling L, 2008, Early intervention for students with drug use problems. Report prepared for the Department of Education and Training, New South Wales, New South Wales Department of Education and Training, Sydney, http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/schoolsdrug/learning/yrk12focusareas/druged/yr2010/earlyintervent.pdf

Current grants
 

Bring them home, keep them home: charting the experiences, successful pathways and outcomes of Aboriginal families whose children have been restored from Out-of-Home Care (ARC Discovery Indigenous- Lead Chief Investigator)

Understanding the potential impact of carers on the experiences and care outcomes of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care using the POCLS (NSW Department of Communities and Justice- Lead Chief Investigator)

Exploring how parental and family characteristics influences child protection reporting and removal, and out-of-home care experiences for Aboriginal children under two years of age (NSW Department of Communities and Justice- Lead Chief Investigator)

Exploring the experiences of Aboriginal girls that go missing from out-of-home care then have contact with the criminal justice system (NSW Department of Communities and Justice- Chief Investigator)

Missing girls: From childhood runaway to criminalised women (ARC Linkage- Chief Investigator)

 

Selected previous grants:

Understanding the influential factors and outcomes of restoration from Out-Of-Home Care for Aboriginal children (Funded by NSW DCJ- Lead Chief Investigator)

Pathways of Change: optimising the mental health of children in OOHC (Funded by NSW DCJ- co-Chief Investigator)

Mothers and children with disability using violence prevention and early intervention services (Funded by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS)- co-Chief Investigator)

My Research Supervision

Jodie Kidd, Scientia PhD Scholar- Examining the Use of Trauma in Public Policy Aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people

Wendy Jopson, Scientia PhD Scholar- Aboriginal Cultural Governance in research

Delilah MacGillivray, Scientia PhD Scholar- Redefining Indigenous Self-determination in Australian Public Policy using a family-focused approach

Nellie Pollard-Wharton, Masters in Public Health- Co-designed Aboriginal led community solutions to prevent unintentional child injury

 

My Teaching

2019 Course convenor- Aboriginal People and Social Work (SOCW2100), Social Work Program, School of Social Sciences, UNSW Sydney