Miss Charlotte Friel

I am a PhD student specializing in child social work communication, with a particular focus on how children aged 4–8 years view and experience exhanges with their social workers. My research explores the dynamics of communication within child protection and child-in-need contexts in England, aiming to improve social work practice through evidence-based insights.

As part of my PhD, I have taught seminars to undergraduate students, fostering critical engagement with key social care legislation, policy and practice frameworks. Additionally, I have undertaken paid research roles, contributing to projects that support evidence-based policy and practice development.

My work includes qualitative and quantitative studies that examine the perspectives of children and social work professionals. I have developed a  self-efficacy scale grounded in the Key Capabilities for Communicating with Children framework, to assess and enhance social workers’ skills in child-centered communication.

As a qualified social worker , I am committed to bridging academic research and practice, my goal is to contribute to more effective social work interventions that prioritize the voices of children. I actively engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and dissemination through conferences and publications.