Philip Mendes

Professor Philip Mendes is a leading academic in Social Work at Monash University's Department of Social Work, directing the Social Inclusion and Social Policy Research Unit. His work focuses on youth transitioning from out-of-home care, income support systems, Indigenous social policy, and Jewish community responses to institutional abuse. He has authored 12 books and over 100 peer-reviewed works, including seminal texts like *Australia's Welfare Wars* (2017) and *Empowerment and Control in the Australian Welfare State* (2019).

Key research collaborations include the Transitions to Adulthood International Research Group and projects funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). Notable projects include improving outcomes for care leavers (2023–2027) and advancing healthy ageing for care leavers entering aged care (2023–2025). His work aligns with UN SDGs addressing poverty eradication and social inclusion.

Professor Mendes has received awards including the 2019 Faculty of Medicine Dean's Award and the 2022 Australian Journal of Political Science Mayer Prize. His advocacy extends to policy reforms for care leavers, emphasizing extended care frameworks and equitable housing solutions. He actively engages in policy debates on welfare conditionality and social justice, challenging neoliberal policy approaches.