Debra Miles is committed to social justice, inclusion and collaboration and it is these principles that inform and guide her research and teaching foci at James Cook University. Debra has significant professional experience as a social worker in child protection, family violence and the disability sector, and has worked in a range of regional communities across northern Australia including Rockhampton, Townsville and Darwin. 

As an Associate Professor in Social Work and Human Services at James Cook University, Debra’s research focuses on highlighting issues of disadvantage and discrimination, and finding ways to improve and strengthen the response to these issues.  Bringing a critical feminist lens to research analysis, Debra’s previous projects have included examining the response of feminist organisations to family violence and sexual assault, highlighting the experience of racism for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and practitioners, evaluating intensive family support programs and improving the learning experience of students in distance and online education settings.  

Committed to enhancing student engagement in intercultural learning and global citizenship Debra has actively developed a range of global mobility opportunites for social work students including international exchange, internships and practicums in India and Thailand.  Building on  these experiences, Debra latest research project examined best practice in international student exchange and was funded by the Office of Learning and Teaching from 2015-2017.   As project leader, Debra managed a large team of national and international collaborators to develop a set of guiding principles and useful resources to guide educators and others involved in facilitating students international experiences.  Informing the development of these resources was the unique and rarely-heard voice of international hosts of students on exchange and a critical, post-colonial framework aimed at maximizing transformative learning. 

Debra teaches in the undergraduate and postgraduate social work programs at James Cook University in subjects that reflect her commitment to social justice and inclusive practice.  She has developed the content of subjects focused on human rights, social policy and working with children and families as well as mentoring students in subjects that develop their interpersonal and counselling skills.  She is also active in a range of organisations which champion social justice issues and respond to disadvanatge in the community.  Her involvement includes past leadership roles with the Ruby Geia Rape Crisis Service, Dawn House Women's Shelter,  Townsville Women's Centre and a current involvement with Althea Projects. She is the conveneor of the annual Social Justice lecture which has welcomed popular and esteemed speakers such as Caroline Overington., Trent Dalton, Professor Lena Dominelli and Professor Brendan Edgeworth.

Teaching

• WC2001: Australian Women's Studies (Level 2; TSV)
• WS1005: Human Rights and Social Justice (Level 1; TSV)
• WS2008: International Exchange (Level 2; TSV)
• WS3027: Social Welfare Practice with Children and Families (Level 3; TSV)
• WS4504: Field Education 2 (Level 4; CNS & TSV)
• WS5005: Social Policy Analysis (Level 5; TSV)
• WS5605: Advanced Social Work Practicum (Level 5; CNS & TSV)

Interests

Professional

• Foster Care and Child Protection
• Disadvantage and Homelessness
• Women's Services

Research

• Violence against Women
• Womens experience in and after prison
• International Social Work
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and experiences of racism and discrimination

Teaching

• Human Rights and Social Justice
• Child and Family Welfare
• Social Policy
• International Exchange

Experience

• 2000 to 2018 - Social Work Academic, James Cook University (Townsville)
• 1995 to 2000 - Social Work Academic, Charles Darwin University (Darwin, Northern Territory)
• 1993 to 1994 - Social Worker, Women and Children's Hospital (Townsville)
• 1985 to 1988 - Social Worker, Commonwealth Rehabilitation Services (Queensland)
• 1980 to 1985 - Social Worker, Child Protection (Townsville & Rockhampton, Queensland)

Awards

• 2015 - Advisory Panel of the Year Award
• 2013 - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2012 - JCU Award for Excellence - Partnerships and Collaboration

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Jones P, Rowe S and Miles D (in press) Beyond practical preparation: a critical approach to preparing social work students for international experiences. International Social Work,
• Khan A, Miles D and Francis A (in press) Re-visioning child protection management embedded in family empowerment. Children Australia,
• Miles D, Mensinga J and Zuchowski I (2018) Harnessing opportunities to enhance the distance learning experience of MSW students: an appreciative inquiry process. Social Work Educaton, 37 (6). pp. 705-717
• Zuchowski I, Miles D, Howard E, Harris N and Francis A (in press) Sustaining quality learning abroad opportunities in Australian schools of social work. International Social Work,
• Zuchowski I, Miles D, Woods C and Tsey K (in press) Continuous quality improvement processes in child protection: a systematic literature review. Research On Social Work Practice,
• Harris N, Miles D, Howard E, Zuchowski I, King J, Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya P, Jones P, Francis A, Gopalkrishnan N and Puthantharayil G (2017) International student exchange in Australian social work education. Australian Social Work, 70 (4). pp. 429-440
• Jones P and Miles D (2017) Transformative learning in international student exchange: a critical perspective. Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 19 (2). pp. 47-60
• Nickson A, Gair S and Miles D (2016) Supporting isolated workers in their work with families in rural and remote Australia: exploring peer group supervision. Children Australia, 41 (4). pp. 265-274
• Babatsikos G and Miles D (2015) How parents manage the risk of child sexual abuse: a grounded theory. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 24 (1). pp. 55-76

Book Chapters

• Salter P, Halbert K, Howard E, Singh M, Miles D, Jones P, Bhati A, Wong C and Han J (in press) Local connections, global perspectives. In: The Globalisation of Higher Education: developing internationalised education in research and practice. Palgrave Macmillan, Sydney, NSW, Australia, pp. 61-78
• Miles D and Jones P (2016) International social work student exchange. In: Local Global Citizenship in Higher Education: a framework and case studies for curriculum development. James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia, pp. 39-49

Conference Papers

• Miles D, Jones P, Gopalkrishnan N, Francis A, Harris N, Howard E, King J, Zuchowski I, Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya P and Puthantharayil G (2016) Contested concepts of 'partnership' in international student exchange programs. Proceedings of the 37th HERDSA Annual International Conference. In: HERSDA 2016: 39th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual International Conference: the shape of higher education, 4-7 July 2016, Freemantle, WA, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 46+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Debra Miles from 1998 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Domestic and Family Violence Perpetrator Interventions - How Successful Are They? (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
• Social Adjustment Beyond Teenage Motherhood: Navigating Life Stages and Issues of Identity into Adulthood (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Women's Experiences of the Family Violence Intervention Order Process Across Rural, Regional and Metropolitian Victoria (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• The Search for Counsellor's Professional Identity: A Singapore Study (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Understanding and Developing Appropriate Service Responses for Aboriginal Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Working for the welfare: Exploring the experiences of Indigenous child protection workers (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)

Completed

• Shift happens: transformative learning in social work education (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Exploring peer group supervision in virtual teams in rural and remote Australia (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Re-visioning child protection management embedded in family empowerment (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Sentencers' attitudes toward women in the criminal justice system: explanations for sentencing treatment disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• What makes a good foster carer?: the views of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience (2013, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Social work field education with external supervision (2015, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Women serving in the Royal Australian Navy: the path towards equality 1960 to 2015 (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Unravelling foster care and finding family support (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Towards a decolonizing practice: a qualitative inquiry informed by non-Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders working together (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.