Rate My Professor Kelly Williams

Kelly Williams is a Lecturer in the School of Social Work and Social Care within the College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences at Adelaide University. She is actively involved in undergraduate teaching, particularly at the Mt Gambier campus, contributing to the education of future social workers and human services professionals through foundational courses.

As course coordinator for Child Development (SOWK-1003), a level 1 undergraduate course offered in Semester 1 at Mt Gambier, Magill, Online, and Whyalla campuses, Kelly Williams leads a program that develops students’ understanding of child development theories, the social and emotional needs of children across the lifespan, and basic concepts in child wellbeing and protection. It covers core theories of child development, approaches to child wellbeing and protection, and working with families in social work contexts, including social constructions of children, youth, and families; impacts of social, emotional, psychological, and physical development; and mental health and well-being of children. Key learning outcomes include describing theories of child development in family contexts, exploring impacts of child abuse and neglect, identifying social-emotional needs and social work responses, recognising risk factors affecting development, and developing empowerment and strengths-based approaches.

Williams instructs tutorials for Human Service Provision (SOCI-1009), a level 1 university-wide elective that introduces the political context and development of human services, their relation to dominant values, and professional intervention. The course covers impacts of European invasion on Indigenous Australians, historical social policy themes, human rights, social justice, and roles of government and non-government organisations in service delivery.

She also teaches in Social Work Field Education 1 (SOWK-3002), supporting students in 500-hour placements to develop professional practice, incorporating values, ethics, professional relationships, accountability, and intervention strategies. Additionally, in Human Service Intervention (SOWK-2002), available online and at Mt Gambier, she facilitates learning on analysing intervention situations, generalist practice, ethical and cultural competence, strengths and ecosystems perspectives, crisis intervention, grief and loss, and assessment frameworks.