An experienced expert witness in matters involving institutional child abuse, child protection practice, or out-of-home care.
I’m currently available for referrals relating to abuse law or other relevant areas of practice.
To discuss your matter please call 0466 465 421.
Please direct inquiries and letters of instruction to josh@drjoshfergeus.com.
FURTHER RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
I have been a Chief Executive Officer of social service organisations since 2013.
I am currently the Independent Chair of the North-Eastern Montessori School and aged care and retirement living provider Ashleigh Community, and a Board Director of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
I worked in senior roles at the peak body for child and family welfare organisations in Victoria, the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, between 2009-2013. While at the Centre I ran the Victorian Foster Care Recruitment Project and statewide Kinship Care Network, and contributed as an author or lead author on a number of influential publications at the time of the Protecting Victoria’s Vulnerable Children Inquiry.
I am a former Secretary and President and Acting CEO of the peak body representing Victoria’s foster carers, the Foster Care Association of Victoria (2011-2014).
I worked recruiting, training and assessing foster carers from 2006-2009 and was a registered Shared Stories, Shared Lives and Step By Step trainer and assessor.
I sat on the Fostering and Adoption Panels for Southampton City Council while living in the UK, making a range of child welfare decisions under the relevant legislation.
I am a former foster carer in the State of Victoria. My mother became an accredited foster carer during my childhood and for many years I lived as part of a fostering family.
I hold additional degrees including Master of Social Work, Bachelor of Teaching and Bachelor of Arts.
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, I am available to work across jurisdictions in Australia and New Zealand.
I have been working as an expert witness since 2022, and have been briefed by firms including Slater & Gordon, Maurice Blackburn, Arnold Thomas & Becker, Angela Sdrinis Legal and The Firm Law Group.
I completed by Doctor of Philosophy under supervision from the Schools of Social Work and Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne.
I am a published academic author with expertise in out-of-home care.
For a number of years I taught into the Master of Social Work course at the University of Melbourne, including subjects such as Assessing Risk and Vulnerability, Social Policy for Social Work Practice, Disability in Context, and Social Work Theory and Practice.
I am a Member of Victoria’s Suitability Panel, assessing allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect in out-of-home care, and a Child Protection Member of Victoria’s Patient Review Panel, which considers applications under the Assistive Reproductive Technologies Act. I am also a sitting Member of Victoria’s Mental Health Tribunal.