Rate My Professor Shayne Walker

Associate Professor Shayne Walker serves as Head of the Social and Community Work Programme in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Otago. He holds the academic qualifications BA, MCApSc, and DipSocS, all obtained from the University of Otago. In his career at the University, Walker has progressed from Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Gender and Social Work to his current position as Associate Professor. He previously served as Chair of the Social Workers Registration Board, contributing significantly to the regulation and professional standards of social work in Aotearoa New Zealand. Walker teaches key papers including SOWK 111 Working with People: The New Zealand Context and SOWK 236 The Treaty and Social Services, focusing on practical and culturally relevant social work education.

Walker's research specializations encompass Māori social services development, alternative care, social service agencies, and care and protection. His scholarly contributions include influential publications such as 'An exploration of kaupapa Māori research, its principles, processes and applications' (2006), 'Identifying key dimensions of indigenous led child welfare services: A qualitative literature review' (2024, Child & Family Social Work), 'Shifting power at the front door: State-community decision-making partnerships in child protection' (2026, Social Sciences), and 'Protecting whakapapa: Collaboration, power and prevention in initial child protection decision-making' (2024, conference proceedings). These works address indigenous-led child welfare, kaupapa Māori approaches, and collaborative decision-making in child protection, impacting social work practices emphasizing cultural responsiveness and community partnerships. In recognition of his contributions to fostering children and social work, Walker was awarded the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2020 New Year Honours.