I am the founding Director of Carmela Bastian Consulting. I am a social work practitioner, researcher, and educator with a growing national and international reputation in child protection practice, education, and research. I have worked for over 30 years in the child protection sector. Most of my career has been spent in government and non-government organisations in the child protection sector in the Northern Territory and South Australia. I have worked in numerous roles spanning direct service provision, middle management, program development, and change management. 

Over the last fourteen years I been employed in the higher education sector where I have dedicated my time to research and education. I dedicated my time teaching emerging social workers particularly focusing on social work with children and families who experience complexity. As a researcher, I continued to work with organisations and i close collaboration with practitioners to enhance service outcomes for infants, children, young people in their families.

After leaving Flinders University, I decided to continue my lifelong work and set up my own practice but work more closely and directly with service sector and practitioners to uplift the workforce and enhance service provision for infants, children and young people and their families. 

In addition:

I am the Presiding Member of the Social Work Registration Board in South Australia.

I am a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers Accreditation Council that is responsible for the accreditation of social work education in Australia.

I am member of the Child Death and Serious Injury Review Committee (CDSIRC) in South Australia. 

Employment History

2016 – 2024 Academic (teaching & research) Flinders University

2017 – 2018 Manager, Special Projects and Advisor to Deputy Executive Officer, Department for Child Protection

2011 – 2017 PhD candidate

2007 – 2009 Manager, Strategy and Policy, Practice Reform, Department for Child Protection

2004 – 2005 Principal Program Manager, Child Protection Program, Department for Child Protection

2001 – 2004 Program/project officer, Operational and Policy Unit, Department for Child Protection

2000 – 2001 Supervisor/Senior Practitioner, Adolescent and Family Team

1991 – 2000 Child protection social worker, Northern Territory and South Australia