DrMargaret Spencer

Project Opportunities

Title: Disability and Parenting

Summary of opportunity:

Margaret joined the Social Work program in the School of Education and Social Work as a lecturer in 2014. My original professional qualification was in nursing. I then completed a degree in theology and graduated as a social worker from the University of Sydney in 1994.

Opportunity synopsis:

Research interests

Disability and Parenting

• Disability, sexuality and reproductive rights
• Pathways to parenthood and parenting with intellectual disabilities
• Social support networks of parents with intellectual disabilities
• Children whose parents have intellectual disabilities
• Parents with intellectual disabilities and the Child Protection and Out of Home Care Systems
• Pathways to parenthood and parenting with intellectual disability in Asia/Pacific

Adult Guardianship

• Adult Safeguarding
• Supported decision-making
• Families and older persons

Social work education

• Field Education

----------Current Research Projects----------

Motivation and barriers to adoption M. Spencer (CI)A Wright, S. Pope, B. Liu & Collings, S. Funding: Institute of Open Adoption Studies

Inter-country adoption of Taiwanese-born children of Australian families: Perspectives of adoptees, adoptive families, birth families and professionals. Wright, A. (CI), Chen, Y.W (National Taiwan University), Spencer, M. & Van Wichen, S. Funding: University of Sydney and the National Taiwan University Partnership Collaboration Award ($31,700) and FRSS Grant ($7959).

Family connections and contact for children in permanent care Wright, A. (CI), Collings, S. & Spencer, M. Funding: Institute of Open Adoption Studies

Examining Community Collaborations that empower parents and carers to support children and adolescents with disabilities through a multi-disciplinary lens. Evans, D. (CI), Villeneuve, M., Andriana, E., Little, C.,Spencer, M., Millington, M. & Bonati, M. Funding: South East Asia Centre Grant ($7,600)