Nadia Van Elswyk
Brisbane,Australia
Summary
Child protection specialist with extensive experience in statutory and student protection roles. Proven track record in fostering safe and inclusive school communities through collaborative relationships and specialist advice. Committed to driving operational activities that align with organisational goals and that deliver measurable results. Focused on creating a high-performing team culture centered on safeguarding children and promoting continuous improvement.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Advisor - Safeguarding
Brisbane Catholic Education
03.2025 - Current
- Provide high-level advice and consultation to schools and BCEO teams on safeguarding-related matters, including risk management and legislative compliance.
- Help to drive the implementation of the BCE Safeguarding Response Plan, and BCE alignment with the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards.
- Support the planning and coordination of the ACSL Audit self-assessment, in preparation for the audit in August 2025.
- Member of the Occupational Violence and Aggression (OVA) Working Group
- Prepare briefings for, and present at, the Safeguarding and People & Safety Committees, and present at the committee.
- Analyze data to positively challenge and discuss perspectives on complex issues (for example, peer-on-peer sexual behavior) to deliver outcomes, and make recommendations.
Student Protection & Student Voice Advisor
Brisbane Catholic Education
03.2022 - 03.2025
- Provide specialist advice and support on all aspects of student protection to BCE schools, including interpreting and complying with mandatory reporting obligations, understanding child protection legislation, policy and processes, risk management, and planning and support services for school staff, students, and families.
- Support and engagement across other business areas in the management of student protection-related matters (e.g., complaints, reviews, critical incident response).
- Development and delivery of student protection training and resources to a variety of audiences.
- Lead day-to-day operations of the Student Voice (SV) Program, including informal supervision of Youth Engagement Officers, development of SV Program Plans aligned with BCE vision, mission, and strategy, reporting (People and Safety, Safeguarding Committees), oversight and management of the SV Network and Consultant Team, and member of the SV and Agency Working Group.
- Collaboration across and partnership with several different functional areas in BCEO and BCE schools in the context of student protection, student voice, and the safeguarding project.
- Contribute to team planning and professional development.
Senior Practitioner
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
07.2018 - 03.2022
- Member of the Service Centre Leadership Team and Regional Senior Practitioner Group
- Lead practice within the service centre in line with Regional and Statewide priorities
- Provide direct supervision, decisions and guidance to a team of Child Safety Support Officers
- Conduct case reviews in order to identify learnings for practice and contribute to continuous quality improvement
- Organise and facilitate practice panels, training and professional development within the Service Centre
- Establish formal mentoring & coaching relationships with Senior Team Leaders and Child Safety Officers in order to build capability, skills and knowledge in child protection service delivery
- Provide expert advice on complex case matters and participate in quality assurance processes
- Enhance local community engagement by actively practicing and promoting excellence in service delivery
- Lead projects within the Service Centre such as Safe & Together Domestic Violence Informed Practice, NDIS implementation, Navigate you Health lead & Legislative Amendment training
Senior Team Leader
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
10.2017 - 07.2018
- Member of the Service Centre Leadership Team
- Leadership & management of a team of operational staff delivering frontline child protection services
- Provision of authoritative and specialist advice on complex casework matters, child protection practice, legislation, and policy to relevant service centre staff to assist in the coordination of quality and appropriate client services.
- Maintain productive and enduring service delivery partnerships with both the Government and Non-Government sector
- Management of complaints and provision of Executive correspondence in relation to complaints
- Allocate, prioritise and perform work tasks in accordance with departmental policy, the Framework for Practice, practice guidelines and statutory, financial and administrative delegations.
- Provide professional supervision and development strategies, including formal and informal mentoring and coaching of staff in the team to ensure continued enhancement of skills and knowledge for the team
- Management and delegation of work tasks according to priority and urgency (keeping in mind individual staff capabilities and capacity)
Child Safety Officer - Investigations, Children in Care, In-home interventions
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
06.2006 - 12.2016
- Deliver accountable and collaborative integrated child protection services that respects the culture and context of each child, young person, family and community in accordance with departmental policies and procedures, statutory responsibilities, and the child protection practice framework.
- Appear in Children’s Court for the department in temporary order & child protection order applications
- Prepare applications and affidavit material in temporary order & child protection order applications
- Interpret child protection legislation and provide advice to officers and leadership on relevant application of the legislation
- Manage and plan with young people, their family, carers, other stakeholders, departmental staff & leaders to respond to high risk and critical incidents involving young people in care.
Senior Review Officer - Case Review Unit
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
07.2014 - 07.2015
- Conduct systems and practice reviews following the death or serious physical injury of a child known to the department under the Child Protection Act 1999.
- Engage with documentation, staff and partner agencies to facilitate ongoing learning and improvement in the provision of services by the department and to promote the accountability of the department.
- Produce well researched, high quality systems and practice reviews in accordance with legislation, policy and procedures
- Critically analyse information relating to case reviews to identify opportunities for improvement in the delivery of child protection services to Queensland children and provide high level advice to ensure the efficient, effective and coordinated development of recommendations to resolve service delivery issues.
- Actively participate as a team member in the evaluation, development and implementation of case review policy, procedures and methodologies to reflect best practice case review processes.
- Contribute to the dissemination of systems and practice review learnings through the development of papers, reports, presentations and workshops both at a local and systems level.
Education
Graduate Certificate - Child Protection
SUNSHINE COAST UNIVERSITY
01.2011
Bachelor of Human Services - Bachelor of Arts - Criminology & Criminal Justice
GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY
01.2006
Skills
- Child protection and safeguarding
- Risk management and planning
- Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
- Team leadership
- Effective communication
- Strategic planning and oversight
- Case review and quality assurance
- Legislative compliance
Professional Development & Training
Traffic Lights (Sexual Behaviours in Children & Young People) Train the Trainer (2023)
Risk Management for young people with harmful sexual behaviours (2023) Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference - Families Thriving (2024)
Safe & Together - Domestic & Family Violence Certified Trainer (2021/2022)
Navigate - Leadership Program (2019) People Matters (2019)
Leading Practice (2017)
Trauma & Attachment in High Risk Adolescents (2014)
ICARE (Interviewing Children & Recording Evidence) Trained (2007)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Senior Advisor - Safeguarding
Brisbane Catholic Education
03.2025 - Current
Student Protection & Student Voice Advisor
Brisbane Catholic Education
03.2022 - 03.2025
Senior Practitioner
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
07.2018 - 03.2022
Senior Team Leader
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
10.2017 - 07.2018
Senior Review Officer - Case Review Unit
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
07.2014 - 07.2015
Child Safety Officer - Investigations, Children in Care, In-home interventions
Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
06.2006 - 12.2016
Graduate Certificate - Child Protection
SUNSHINE COAST UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Human Services - Bachelor of Arts - Criminology & Criminal Justice
GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY