Olivia Octoman

Dr Olivia Octoman

Research Fellow

Australian Centre of Child Protection

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Olivia is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Child Protection at the University of South Australia. Her areas of research include repeat involvement with child protection and support needs of foster carers. Olivia’s research into child protection intake, assessment and response systems has underpinned findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory. She has led a team examining risk factors and child outcomes in child protection case file reviews as part of the South Australian Early Intervention Research Directorate and been a member of project teams examining the incidence and prevalence of child sexual abuse for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Link to Olivia's Thesis: The extent of repeat involvement throughout childhood: Characteristics and early identification of children known to child protection multiple times

Year Citation
2025 Lima, F., O'Donnell, M., Gibberd, A. J., Falster, K., Banks, E., Jones, J., . . . Eades, S. (2025). The physical and mental health of mothers of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care in Western Australia. Australian Journal Of Social Issues, online(3), 1-12.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2025 Cox, S., Parkinson, S., Herbert, J., Tucker, E., Octoman, O., & Bromfield, L. (2025). Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for children and young people who have experienced forms of child maltreatment other than child sexual abuse: a review of the evidence. Children and Youth Services Review, 170, 1-19.
DOI Scopus3
2025 Tucker, E., O'Donnell, M., Krakouer, J., & Octoman, O. (2025). Reinvolvement after returning home: a systematic review of the factors associated with post-reunification child protection involvement. Child Abuse & Neglect, 167(107515), 1-15.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2024 Lima, F., O'Donnell, M., Gibberd, A. J., Falster, K., Banks, E., Jones, J., . . . Eades, S. (2024). Aboriginal children placed in out-of-home care: pathways through the child protection system. Australian Social Work, 77(4), 471-485.
DOI Scopus5 WoS4
2024 Lima, F., Taplin, S., Maclean, M., Octoman, O., Grose, M., & O'Donnell, M. (2024). Child protection and developmental trajectories of children who entered care as infants. Child Abuse Review, 33(5, article no. e2900), 1-18.
DOI
2023 Octoman, O., Cox, S., Arney, F., Chong, A., & Tucker, E. (2023). Narrative and fixed-field Data: are we underestimating the risk of family and domestic violence?. Child Abuse Review, 32 online(4, article no. e2811), 1-8.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2023 Octoman, O., Arney, F., Meiksans, J., Flaherty, R., Chong, A., Ward, F., & Taylor, C. (2023). Subsequent child protection contact for a cohort of children reported to child protection prenatally in one Australian jurisdiction. Child Abuse Review, 32(1), 1-11.
DOI
2022 Octoman, O., Arney, F., Chong, A., O'Donnell, M., Meiksans, J., Hawkes, M., . . . Taylor, C. (2022). Tailoring service and system design for families known to child protection: a rapid exploratory analysis of the characteristics of families. Child Abuse Review, 31(5, article no. e2762), 1-8.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2021 Meiksans, J., Arney, F., Flaherty, R., Octoman, O., Chong, A., Ward, F., & Taylor, C. (2021). Risk factors identified in prenatal child protection reports. Children and Youth Services Review, 122(105905), 1-8.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10
2014 Octoman, O., McLean, S., & Sleep, J. (2014). Children in foster care: what behaviours do carers find challenging?. Clinical psychologist, 18(1), 10-20.
DOI Scopus29 WoS24
2014 Octoman, O. J., & McLean, S. J. (2014). Challenging behaviour in foster care: what supports do foster carers want?. Adoption and fostering, 38(2), 149-158.
DOI Scopus34 WoS32

  • ARL Renewal Program, Department for Education, Children and Young People, 08/08/2025 - 30/01/2026

  • Can administrative records inform estimates of the extent and nature of harmful sexual behaviours?, Daniel Morcombe Foundation, 09/06/2023 - 20/12/2025

  • Family Group Conferencing Evaluation, SA Dept for Child Protection, 03/07/2023 - 31/07/2024

  • SCHEDULE 5 OFFICIAL ORDER 90013947 - IMS Part A, Cwth Dept of Social Services, 16/12/2021 - 28/02/2023

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Principal Supervisor First Contact: How child protection systems contribute to ongoing First Nations overrepresentation in Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Janneen Ada Wanganeen
2024 Co-Supervisor 46- Families with multiple and complex needs: refocusing on early intervention Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Kelly Maree Winslade
2023 Co-Supervisor Measuring the well-being of 0 to 3-year-olds in Out of Home Care Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Tracey Corcoran
2022 Co-Supervisor Improving the Process and Long-Term Outcomes of Reunification for Families. Exploring the Barriers and Facilitators for Successful and Safe Reunification. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Ebony Rose Tucker

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