Rate My Professor Louise Morley

Dr Louise Morley is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Social Work in the School of Health at the University of New England. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of New England (2015), with a thesis titled 'What does it take to be a good social worker?: A study exploring the dynamics involved in performing emotional labour in the practice context of vulnerable children and their families,' which investigated social workers' personal experiences in child welfare amid contested political and policy environments. Her earlier qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Work with First Class Honours from the University of Western Australia (2001) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New England (1998). Dr Morley brings extensive practice experience from government and non-government organizations in Australia and overseas, covering health (oncology), disability, rural social work, and child protection, with a particular emphasis on child sexual assault. Her career has centered on the systemic effects of inequality in rural and remote communities.

Dr Morley's academic interests focus on organizational dynamics in social work practice, child welfare reforms, workforce challenges in child protection, support for vulnerable children and families with complex needs, domestic violence prevention in rural areas, and community development. She conducts qualitative research in constructionist and interpretivist paradigms, employing discourse analysis, narrative inquiry, and action research. Key publications comprise 'The shame of sexual violence towards women in rural areas' (Jones, R., Usher, K., Rice, K., Morley, L., & Durkin, J., 2023, International Journal of Mental Health Nursing); 'A transnational student-led, rural-focussed inquiry: social work educational competency in disaster management' (Doyle, K. et al., 2023, Social Work Education); 'Trends and needs in the Australian child welfare workforce: An exploratory study' (Russ, E., Morley, L. et al., 2022); 'Children’s rights in adoption from out-of-home care: how well do legislative frameworks accommodate them?' (Zodins, J. M., Morley, L. et al., 2022, Australian Journal of Human Rights); 'Contemporary practitioner experiences of relational social work: The case of child welfare' (Morley, L., 2021, Australian Social Work); and 'Social work, Max Weber and ethical irrationality' (Morley, L., 2021, The British Journal of Social Work). She is a member of the Safe in Our Town Committee in Glen Innes, which raises awareness of domestic violence and facilitates action research opportunities.