Ana Olea Fernandez

Ana Olea Fernandez is a Lecturer at the School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex, based at Colchester Campus (office GB.1.24). She teaches core social work modules including Introduction to Law and Social Policy, Lifespan Development, and Practice Interventions across undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Her research critically examines social work practice through child welfare and mental health lenses, with emphasis on professional ethics and policy implementation. Key focus areas include:

• Child Welfare Systems
• Social Worker Decision-Making
• Behavioral Interventions
• Legislation-Ethics Integration
• Lifespan Mental Health Approaches

Current scholarly work centers on social workers' interpretations of children's behavior, analyzing tensions between professional frameworks and practical implementation within educational and welfare contexts.

Dr. Fernandez supervises multiple dissertation projects and secured 2023 funding from Essex County Council for the 'Big Steps Little Steps' evaluation initiative, demonstrating applied research impact in local government partnerships.