Professor Esther Dermott research focuses on families, parenting, and inequalities, across sociology and social policy. She is currently Deputy Dean of Social Sciences and Law (since 2022), and was previously Head of the School for Policy Studies, and Faculty Research Director.

Esther is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is Editor-in-Chief of Families, Relationships and Societies, and Founding Editor of the book series Sociology of Children and Families.

Her current areas of research are on: caring practices in the digital home (ESRC - Centre for Sociodigital Futures); the experiences of separating families (Nuffield); the relationship between resources and parenting practices (ESRC - Centre on Micro-Social Change); the experiences of Syrian refugee fathers in Britain and Sweden (British Academy); and the concept of good parenting.