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Dr Krystal Schaffer

Dr Krystal Schaffer
Name Krystal Schaffer
Position Senior Lecturer (Social Work and Human Services)
Section School of Psychology and Wellbeing
Office W515
Location Toowoomba Campus
Email
Qualifications BA Qld , MSocWk Griffith , PhD USQ
Homepage https://research.usq.edu.au/researcher/88303/mrs-krystal-schaffer
The views expressed on staff homepages may not reflect the views of the University.

Biography

Dr Krystal Schaffer is an accredited AASW Social Worker and Director of Field Education in Social Work and Human Services at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), where she oversees and manages field education across both disciplines. With over a decade of industry experience in tertiary and secondary child protection and domestic and family violence (DFV) services, Krystal is deeply committed to bridging the gap between theory and practice in social work education.

Krystal’s research explores the intersection of subjectivity, intersectionality, and empowerment in childhood abuse and neglect, as well as DFV prevention. Her work is driven by a strong focus on praxis, ensuring that social work education is grounded in applied learning, real-world contexts, and innovative methodologies. Specifically, Dr Schaffer’s research focusses on the use of virtual reality simulations in social work training, developing tailored interventions to enhance students' experiential learning and professional preparedness.

Her research leadership is supported by competitive grants, including:

• Innovative Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) strategies for enhancing student confidence in recognizing and responding to DFV

• VR-based training programs designed to build social work competencies in understanding the personal complexities faced by those experiencing DFV

Krystal has recently published “unveiling graduate readiness to respond to domestic and family violence in Australian social work programs” in the British Journal of Social Work, as well as “A blueprint for domestic and family violence education in social work through virtual reality design in Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education” (honoured with the editor’s choice award).

She has also been recognised for her contributions at major conferences, including:

• 2024 Family Law Conference (Family Law Pathways Network) – Co-keynote speaker, presenting Using Virtual Reality Simulations to Educate About Domestic and Family Violence: Designing Authenticity for Learners

• 2024 ANZSWWER Symposium – Keynote speaker, presenting Virtual Reality Design for Tertiary Social Work Education: Designing to Build Competency and Empathy about DFV, awarded People’s Choice Award for poster presentation

Beyond research, Krystal is an active board member of the Child Protection Practitioners Association Queensland and steering committee member for Family Law Pathways. Her excellence in teaching has been recognised with the USQ Early Career Teaching Award (2021) and the USQ Excellence Award for University Teaching (2021). She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.

Her academic qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and Sociology) – University of Queensland

• Graduate Certificate – Community Services Practice (Client Assessment and Case Management)

• Graduate Certificate – Community Services Practice (Statutory Child Protection)

• Master of Social Work (PQ) – Dissertation Pathway – Griffith University

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – University of Southern Queensland

Research Career


  • Social Program Evaluation ( 160703 )
  • Studies in Human Society ( 160000 )
  • Social Work ( 160700 )
  • Counselling, Welfare and Community Services ( 160702 )
  • Social Program Evaluation ( 440903 )
  • Social Work ( 440900 )
  • Counselling ( 440902 )
  • Other Human Society ( 449900 )
  • Other Health Sciences not elsewhere classified ( 429999 )
  • Other Health Sciences ( 429900 )

Domestic and family violence prevention and intervention
Protecting and promoting client rights in the neoliberal Western context
Interrogating need and adequacy of service delivery for women experiencing adversity
Innovation in higher education teaching and learning
Childhood abuse and neglect- assessment, intervention and prevention


Australian Association of Social Work (AASW)
Board member - CPPAQ
Steering Committee Member - FLP
HEA Fellow
Golden Key International Honour Society member


Child Protection Practitioners Association Queensland LTD


  • Centre for Health Research (CHR)

Teaching


Director Field Education and Networking - Social Work and Human Services
SWK1400 Working in partnership with children, youth and families
SWK2200 Intersectionality as a critical practice tool
SWK3200 Contemporary Pressures: Navigating Domestic and Family Violence


7 Years