Emeritus Professor Frederico was previously Graduate Research Coordinator in Social Work and Social Policy. She is the Principal Research Consultant Berry Street Take Two Program. She is an experienced social work practitioner and teaches and researches in social work in relation to child and family wellbeing and child protection and trauma and community empowerment leadership and governance in Human Services and evaluation. She has undertaken this work in Australia and internationally. Her expertise includes process and outcome evaluations and action research applied to vulnerable populations and complex issues. This includes engaging children and vulnerable groups in research in an ethical and meaningful way. She is a Director of Odyssey House Victoria and Chair Policy and Program Board Sub-Committee; Director Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS).. She supervises Higher Research Degree students in areas of leadership and human service organisations, child wellbeing and child protection and trauma.

Previous positions include Head of School, School of Social Work and Social Policy La Trobe University Inaugural Head, School of Social Work, Australian Catholic University, Director of Social Work, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Director of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) and President AASW (Victoria);Vice President Berry Street, Director Jesuit Social Services; ,Advisory Committee,Peer Support Program St Vincent De Paul.