Rate My Professor Nicola Ross

Honorary Associate Professor Nicola Ross serves in the School of Law and Justice within the College of Human and Social Futures at the University of Newcastle. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Macquarie University, Bachelor of Social Work with Honours from the University of New South Wales, and a Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law. Before entering academia, Ross had a career as a social worker and lawyer, including positions as a manager and government policy consultant, motivated by social justice interests. Over the past two decades, she has conducted socio-legal research and taught courses such as Family Law, Child Law, Criminal Law, and Legal System and Method to JD and LLB students. She has supervised PhD and Honours theses on family and child law topics, convened the Juris Doctor and LLB Honours Programs, served as Faculty research representative and School External Relations convener, and organized student trips to Cambodia in 2016 and 2018 under the New Colombo Plan.

Ross's research examines how legal systems and professionals facilitate the participation of children, young people, parents, and families in child protection, family law, and criminal processes, with a focus on family inclusion and wellbeing outcomes. She is recognized as one of the few legal academics in New South Wales with expertise in child protection. Notable publications include "Family inclusion in child protection: Law, courts and balancing risks" (2024, Alternative Law Journal, with Foote and Davies), "Family inclusion in child protection: Knowledge, power and resistance" (2023, Children and Youth Services Review, with Cocks and Foote), the report "Just work as a team: Reconstructing family inclusion from parent, carer and practitioner perspectives" (2023, with Cocks, Foote, and Davies), and "‘No voice, no opinion, nothing’: Parent experiences when children are removed and placed in care" (2017, with Cocks, Johnston, and Stoker). She received the 2013 Faculty Excellence in Law Teaching Award and has led grants totaling $371,467, including the Parents Helping Parents: Parent Peer Support Project ($49,990, 2018). Ross has delivered keynotes at the 2014 NSW Child Representation Conference and presented at international conferences on restorative justice, family law, and children's rights. She holds memberships in the International Society of Family Law, Greater Newcastle Family Law Pathways Network, and Australasian Law Teachers Association.