Wendy Hermeston

Wendy Hermeston, a Wiradjuri woman and Indigenous Research Fellow at Swinburne University's National Centre for Reconciliation Practice, is a researcher and advocate for system and practice reform that protects the safety, rights and well-being of First Nations children, young people, parents and families, especially those in contact with child welfare systems.

Wendy has a long history working in legal and health and wellbeing-related research, policy and practice in Aboriginal community controlled organisations in the care and health sectors, and in university settings. Wendy also has expertise in the inter-generational impact of the past child welfare laws and practices, having worked for many years as a Link-Up caseworker, helping clients locate and reunite with family members they were separated from during and following the Stolen Generations era.

Wendy recently completed her PhD thesis, 'Safe, Protected, Connected? The Best Interests of Aboriginal Children and Permanency Planning in the NSW Care and Protection System' at the UTS Faculty of Law. The research explored, from Aboriginal community memberr perspectives, fundamental notions in decision-making in the care jurisdiction, including the best interests of the child, permanency, attachment and stability, amongst other concepts.

Research interests include legal issues impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in particular children, parents and extended families involved in care-related matters, and Aboriginal community members' access to justice in the legal system.