Amy’s recently submitted thesis, “Creating meaningful change: A critical realist study of the relationship between psychological empowerment and systemic reform in the Australian child protection system<\/em>” received outstanding results from the examiners.<\/p>\n We asked Amy to share what led her to a Phd and why it is important, the most enjoyable and hardest parts of a PhD journey and what the future holds.<\/p>\n I have always wanted to undertake a PhD. Part of the allure was the aspect of independent study where I had control over what I was studying and how I wanted to study it. Aside from personal enjoyment, I also wanted to situate myself where I could influence macro practice. As a social worker, I have seen how restrictive systems limit the effectiveness of frontline practitioners. As much as I tried to help people in my practice, there were too many barriers for my work to feel sustainable or rewarding. I decided that I wanted to learn more and progress to roles where I could better influence systems. Nearly every problem our society faces is socially constructed and therefore within our control to change. By understanding this bigger picture, I hope to have a significant influence on the lives of children and families in South Australia and beyond.<\/p>\n My PhD examined how change happens within child protection systems. I first became interested in the topic when I was working in child protection in Queensland. The system underwent a large reform after an inquiry. Despite all the plans we spoke about at work, very little actually changed. I heard my colleagues say that there was no reason to do things differently or that we were already doing the things the inquiry recommended.<\/p>\n I disagreed and saw many opportunities for growth. I often think back to those days and consider how much money was spent trying to reform the system and whether it was effective. I became fascinated with learning about how systems, especially large systems, change and how I could facilitate that change. We know a lot about what our systems should look like to keep children safe – what we struggle with is actually putting that knowledge into practice.<\/p>\n The most enjoyable aspects came later in my journey, when I was involved in teaching and working as a research assistant. I loved the diversity and no longer felt as though my entire life was focused on the thesis. I also met more people and formed wonderful relationships. Through these experiences, I began to think about life after my PhD and what I wanted from my career. For the first time, I felt that I was part of Flinders and not just an individual undertaking a lonely journey.<\/p>\n The hardest part of the journey has been balancing home, work, and study life. As I did not have a scholarship, I had to work to support myself throughout my study. This was not only physically and mentally draining, but I also missed out on many opportunities. I would see training or networking events that I could not attend because of scheduling conflicts. When I first started studying, I thought the focus was on producing a thesis. I now realise that the experiences available during candidature are vital to becoming a researcher, and I needed to work on myself and not only my thesis.<\/p>\n I am at a crossroads in deciding my next steps. I would love to remain with Flinders as I feel I have built a home here. I am also exploring opportunities in industry where I could take my knowledge and use it to directly help systems change. Even during my candidature, I received a contract to develop training based on my research and this has opened up many other possibilities for the future. Ultimately, I feel that I will be best suited as an academic but I am not sure of the best path to get there. I have spoken to many mentors and supervisors at Flinders who have been immensely helpful in providing advice and support. Right now, I feel blessed at the many opportunities I have available and will wait to see what happens in the new year. My passion is in helping children and families, and I welcome any role where I am able to do that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this month\u2019s newsletter, we would like to introduce PhD student, Amy Bromley from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work. Amy’s recently submitted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3518,"featured_media":654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/hdr-students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/92\/2022\/10\/Yellow-Line-1024x18.png\")
<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat led you to undertake a PhD? What inspired or motivated you?
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/strong><\/p>\nWhat is the topic of your PhD and why is it important to you?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat has been one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey?<\/h3>\n
<\/strong><\/h3>\nWhat has been one of the hardest parts of the journey?<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nWhat are your future goals and plans? \/ Where do you see your career heading in the future?<\/h3>\n