Melissa O’Donnell is Professor and Deputy Director, Research at the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia. Melissa is an internationally recognised researcher in the area of child maltreatment and vulnerable children and families and has utilised population-based linked administrative data for over 15 years to contribute new knowledge and evidence. The main focus of her research program includes: i) risk and protective factors for vulnerability to child abuse and neglect; ii) outcomes for children in care; and iii) infant removals by the child protection system. Melissa collaborates with government and non-government partners to ensure research addresses areas of policy and practice and to enable ... Read more
About me
Melissa O’Donnell is Professor and Deputy Director, Research at the Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia. Melissa is an internationally recognised researcher in the area of child maltreatment and vulnerable children and families and has utilised population-based linked administrative data for over 15 years to contribute new knowledge and evidence. The main focus of her research program includes: i) risk and protective factors for vulnerability to child abuse and neglect; ii) outcomes for children in care; and iii) infant removals by the child protection system. Melissa collaborates with government and non-government partners to ensure research addresses areas of policy and practice and to enable effective translation.
About me
Doctor of Philosophy The University of Western Australia
Master of Psychology The University of Western Australia
Graduate Diploma in Education The University of Western Australia
Bachelor of Arts with Second Class Honours in Psychology (Division B) The University of Western Australia
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Relighting the firesticks: Accelerating diffusion and progressing to sustainability of innovative care to foster a healthy start to life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, MRFF Early to Mid-Career Researchers Grant, 01/03/2024 - 28/02/2029
Impact of the Barnahus model in Europe, Oak Foundation, 31/03/2025 - 31/03/2028
Bringing Baby Home (BBH) Program, Department for Education, Children and Young People, 10/02/2025 - 30/06/2025
Supporting the mental health of Aboriginal children in care and leaving care, Department of Communities and Justice - NSW, 31/03/2024 - 30/06/2025
Infants removed by child protection: nature, extent and impact, ARC - Discovery Projects, 01/01/2017 - 06/07/2021
Linking for Life: Enhancing pathways to well-being for all Australians. ARC Linkage Grant
Improving practice when child protection intervenes with pregnant mothers and newborns: co-design and evaluation of evidence informed guidelines. Perron Foundation Grant.
Navigating through Life: Young people transitioning from out-of-home care. ARC Linkage Grant
Connecting the dots: understanding the DFV experiences of children and young people with disability within and across sectors. ANROWS Grant
Investigating the mental health of children exposed to family and domestic violence through the use of linked Police and Health records. ANROWS Grant
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
Open access
6
6
2
|
| 2019 |
Open access
20
19
8
|
| 2019 |
86
85
72
|
| 2018 |
Open access
|
| 2012 |
278
251
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
2
|
| 2015 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2025 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
15
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
1
50
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
2
1
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
1
1
|
| 2024 |
|
| 2024 |
Open access
2
2
|
| 2024 |
Open access
6
5
4
|
| 2024 |
Open access
9
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
2
2
5
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
2
2
|
| 2024 |
Open access
|
| 2024 |
Open access
2
2
6
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
1
|
| 2024 |
Open access
1
|
| 2024 |
Open access
2
|
| 2023 |
Open access
3
3
4
|
| 2023 |
Open access
6
8
10
|
| 2023 |
10
7
1
|
| 2023 |
Open access
3
3
5
|
| 2023 |
10
|
| 2023 |
Open access
10
10
14
|
| 2023 |
Open access
5
6
16
|
| 2022 |
Open access
35
30
40
|
| 2022 |
Open access
12
12
1
|
| 2022 |
Open access
3
3
8
|
| 2022 |
Open access
1
1
|
| 2022 |
Open access
18
15
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2022 |
Open access
4
4
9
|
| 2022 |
Open access
3
3
|
| 2022 |
Open access
6
6
2
|
| 2022 |
Open access
1
1
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
14
13
16
|
| 2021 |
Open access
20
19
|
| 2021 |
3
1
3
|
| 2021 |
Open access
15
12
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
7
7
2
|
| 2020 |
11
11
2
|
| 2020 |
Open access
38
33
9
|
| 2020 |
27
21
6
|
| 2020 |
Open access
14
12
5
|
| 2020 |
Open access
8
7
3
|
| 2020 |
Open access
9
11
6
|
| 2019 |
Open access
23
21
2
|
| 2019 |
21
13
35
|
| 2019 |
19
14
1
|
| 2019 |
Open access
14
16
7
|
| 2019 |
Open access
20
19
8
|
| 2019 |
86
85
72
|
| 2019 |
11
11
|
| 2018 |
17
18
4
|
| 2017 |
Open access
31
30
4
|
| 2017 |
Open access
106
97
97
|
| 2017 |
Open access
37
34
4
|
| 2017 |
Open access
|
| 2017 |
Open access
16
15
9
|
| 2017 |
4
2
2
|
| 2016 |
65
56
|
| 2016 |
65
56
|
| 2016 |
Open access
55
53
10
|
| 2016 |
Open access
46
42
4
|
| 2016 |
Open access
41
38
4
|
| 2015 |
Open access
78
73
1
|
| 2015 |
Open access
9
9
|
| 2013 |
Open access
13
12
|
| 2013 |
15
|
| 2013 |
Open access
15
17
|
| 2012 |
80
66
|
| 2012 |
278
251
|
| 2012 |
2
|
| 2012 |
27
23
|
| 2011 |
Open access
16
|
| 2010 |
Open access
44
43
|
| 2010 |
26
25
|
| 2010 |
33
30
|
| 2010 |
6
6
|
| 2009 |
95
89
|
| 2009 |
|
| 2008 |
Open access
79
73
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
|
| 2022 |
Open access
|
| 2018 |
Open access
|
| 2018 |
Open access
|
| 2010 |
|
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| American Humane Association | UNITED STATES |
| Anglicare WA | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian Catholic University | AUSTRALIA |
| Australian National University | AUSTRALIA |
| Barwon Health | AUSTRALIA |
| Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario | CANADA |
| Centre for Cerebral Palsy | AUSTRALIA |
| Charles Darwin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Curtin University | AUSTRALIA |
| Department for Education | UNITED KINGDOM |
| East Metropolitan Health Service | AUSTRALIA |
| Edith Cowan University | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Government of Western Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| Griffith University | AUSTRALIA |
| Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research | AUSTRALIA |
| Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences | CANADA |
| Karlstad University | SWEDEN |
| La Trobe University | AUSTRALIA |
| Lancaster University | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Lowitja Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| Monash University | AUSTRALIA |
| Murdoch University | AUSTRALIA |
| niversity of Notre Dame | UNITED STATES |
| Northumbria University | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Norwegian Institute of Public Health | NORWAY |
| NTNU Social Research | NORWAY |
| Ontario Tech University | CANADA |
| Oregon State University | UNITED STATES |
| Relationships Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Perth Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| SA Department for Child Protection | AUSTRALIA |
| South Australian Department for Child Protection | AUSTRALIA |
| Telethon Kids Institute | AUSTRALIA |
| The University of Notre Dame Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| UCL Institute of Child Health | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University College London | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Canberra | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Derby | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Gothenburg | SWEDEN |
| University of Manitoba | CANADA |
| University of Melbourne | AUSTRALIA |
| University of New South Wales | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Northumbria | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Otago | NEW ZEALAND |
| University of Queensland | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Technology Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Warwick | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of Western Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| WA Department of Health | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Merit AwardDepartment of Health, Western Australia |
2019 |
Western Australian Premiers Award for Early Career Scientist of the YearGovernment of Western Australia |
2018 |
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| 46- Families with multiple and complex needs: refocusing on early intervention | Current |
| Aboriginal Parenting: Challenging misconceptions and strengthening practice | Current |
| Improving the Process and Long-Term Outcomes of Reunification for Families. Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators for Successful and Safe Reunification. | Current |
