Dr. Zalia Powell

Biography

Dr Zalia Powell is a social work academic and researcher with a particular interest in health and wellbeing for children, youth and families with vulnerabilities. Zalia's social work framework is shaped by critical feminist perspectives, human rights and strengths-based practice, and child and family centred approaches that consider individual and family experiences within broader systems of oppression, privilege, societal values, and equity of resources. Prior to her appointment with UniSC, Zalia was a clinical social worker with experience across acute and subacute health services and child protection, with an interest in women’s and family’s services.

As a qualitative researcher, Zalia is interested in exploring the lived experience of marginalised populations whose voices are often absent in research, policy and practice. Zalia completed her PhD as an APA scholarship candidate, with qualitative research focusing on the lived experiences of perinatal anxiety.

Zalia’s research interests focus on children, youth and families with vulnerabilities across a range of complex lived experiences including domestic and family violence, mental health, child protection, transgender and gender diverse parenting, young motherhood, and perinatal bereavement.

Zalia has presented the findings of her research both nationally and internationally, has published widely in high quality peer-reviewed journals and was awarded the 2024 ANZSWWER Research Award.

Teaching areas

Zalia's teaching areas include direct skills for social work practice and working with children, youth and families.

Zalia has taught across a range of UniSC courses including:

SCS101 Foundations of Human Behaviour

SWK277 Working With Children, Youth and Families

SWK202 Mental and Physical Health and Wellbeing

SWK777 Children, Youth and Families: Challenges, Critique and Change

SWK705 Advanced Direct Practice 2