About
Professor Beth Crisp is Deputy Head of School and Discipline Leader for Social Work at Deakin University's School of Health and Social Development. She is internationally recognized as one of the most influential scholars in social work, with over 35 years of experience in health and human services research. Her leadership extends to university governance through active contributions to Academic Board and various committees.
- Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne
- Bachelor of Social Work, La Trobe University
- Bachelor of Theology, Melbourne College of Divinity
Professor Crisp's research centers on giving voice to marginalized populations, with particular focus on social exclusion, religion and spirituality in social work practice, and social work education. She has been instrumental in major reforms of social work education in both Australia and the UK. Her work bridges public health, policy development, and religious studies, with significant contributions to understanding gender-based violence, problem gambling, and health promotion. As President of the Australian Council of Heads of Social Work Education from 2020 to 2024, she successfully advocated for equal government funding for Social Work Education as Allied Health programs.
Her recent scholarly output demonstrates consistent leadership in social work education reform, decolonization of curricula, and the integration of spirituality in social work practice. Her publications reveal growing attention to refugee and migrant experiences, particularly regarding Afghan women's experiences with domestic violence in Australia, and innovative approaches to preventing gender-based violence through theatre-based programs. The body of work shows increasing engagement with pandemic-related challenges in social work education and practice.
Professor Crisp actively supervises doctoral and master's students, with current research focusing on poverty and social exclusion, family violence prevention, and Aboriginal kinship care. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained funding success across multiple domains including community services training, loneliness research, gender-based violence prevention, and evaluations of social work education reforms. She maintains strong professional engagement through leadership in the Australian Association of Social Workers, Society for Social Work Research, and editorial roles with major social work journals.
