Dr Kim Robinson

I have been a social work practitioner and manager in community health and refugee services. I have worked in academia in health and social work in the UK and Australia. 

I am interested in the application of critical theory perspectives, particularly post-structuralism and feminism, and how these inform social work practice and education. My research interests are in the fields of trauma and human rights, with a focus on domestic violence, refugees and asylum seekers, and unaccompanied asylum seekers leaving care.

I teach into both the Bachelor of Social Work and the Masters of Social Work, and also supervise PhD students.

HSW401 BSW Social Work Research Methods (T1) Year 4.

HSW 702 MSW Understanding Care and Risk (T1) Year 1

Dr Kim Robinson has published in the areas of asylum and refugee mental health, family violence, social justice issues with young unaccompanied minors facing deportation, refugee settlement, and refugee experiences of home and homemaking. Her publications are in journals with a focus on practice and theory.

• Gender
• Health and wellbeing
• Human rights
• Immigration
• Migration
• Refugees
• Youth/young people's issues

Social Work in a Climate of Change. 19th – 20th November 2020 Online Symposium; Abstract Title: Social housing in Melbourne at the time of pandemic: A social work response.  With Professor Linda Briskman.

“Activism and Social Change: How can social work research and education contribute to a just world?” Australian New Zealand Social Work & Welfare Education, Research (ANZSWWER) 3-4 October 2019. Perth.
1. Theme 3: Rural, Regional and Remote Practice “Is anyone listening to us?” Syrian settlement in Geelong (Victoria, Australia), and
2. Theme 5: Vulnerability, disadvantage and marginalisation Presentation. “Social work education steps up to Family Violence” Responding to the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommendations.

“Activism and Social Change: How can social work research and education contribute to a just world?” Australian New Zealand Social Work & Welfare Education, Research (ANZSWWER) 3-4 October 2019. Perth.
1. Theme 3: Rural, Regional and Remote Practice “Is anyone listening to us?” Syrian settlement in Geelong (Victoria, Australia), and
2. Theme 5: Vulnerability, disadvantage and marginalisation Presentation. “Social work education steps up to Family Violence” Responding to the Royal Commission into Family Violence recommendations

Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference, “Environmental and Community Sustainability: Human Solutions in an Evolving Society” Dublin 2018. Theme: Conflict, violence, migration and human trafficking
1. Positive practice: a mixed up story of social inclusion with asylum seekers and refugee settlement in Australia. Kim G. Robinson, Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
2.  “Fear of disclosure” Women from refugee backgrounds and family violence. Kim G. Robinson and Sharlene Nipperess, Deakin, RMIT,

“Challenging Dominant Discourses” 7-8 September 2017. ANZSWWER Symposium in Auckland, New Zealand.
1. “Resistant to Change?” Using critical reflection to analyse positionality within a neoliberal academic environment. With Dr Selma Macfarlane;
2. Becoming a social work student: A complex story of loss and gain with Dr Sophie Goldingay and Rojan Afrouz
3. Student views on their role as consumer: Empowering or stigmatising? with Dr Sophie Goldingay

“A baptism of fire”: Negotiating complexity.  Social work in refugee organisations in Australia.  ANZSWWER Symposium 29 – 30 September 2016, Townsville Australia.

“Changing a dehumanising system: Social workers in refugee non-government organisations in Australia.” The Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development 2016, Seoul, South Korea

“Preparing Young Unaccompanied Afghans to Consider Return to Afghanistan”.
Dr Lucy Williams and Dr Kim Robinson. Peace Research Institute Oslo. 20 August 2015, Oslo, Norway.

““I have no power”.  Supporting frontline workers in asylum and refugee services in the United Kingdom: lessons for Australia?” Dr Kim Robinson and Dr Shepard Masocha. Theme: Human Services. 28 September 2015, University of New South Wales; Australia.

““A risky business” Asylum seekers cast as a risk rather than at risk.  Challenging dominant discourses of marginalisation”.  The 8th Annual ANZ Critical Criminology Conference 4-5 December 2014 with Dr Shepard Masocha (Uni of South Australia) .

“‘I am nothing’ – An exploration of the narratives of unaccompanied young people facing forced return and the implications for social work practice”. JSWEC 2014 With Dr Anna Gupta. Royal Holloway University, London.

Fellow Higher Education Academy (2014)

Social Work Academic Team, Teaching Excellence Award. School of Health and Social Develoment, Deakin University. 2016

“Settlement success for newly arrived Syrians: What is Working?” School of Health and Social Development. Small School Grant Deakin University with Dr Fiona McKay and Dr Greer Lamaro, in partnership with Diversitat (Refugee Support Agency in Geelong)

“Vulnerabilities and Resilience: Challenges facing experienced welfare workers who transition to being social work students” (2016). School of Health and Social Development. Whole School Grant Deakin University with Dr Sophie Goldingay.

Robinson, K. and Williams, L. (2015) Young Afghans facing return. Forced Migration Review www.fmreview.org/dayton20/robinson-williams

Robinson, K. and Williams, L. (2014) Positive Futures – A Training Programme for Afghan Care Leavers in Kent. Evaluation Report. A pilot project to develop and test a model to assist Appeal Rights Exhausted Care Leavers to consider Assisted Voluntary Return 2014. http://www.secouncils.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Positive-Futures-Evaluation-Report-Final-18-Aug.pdf