I am primarily interested in research which focuses on how and why children experience harm, and how social work and clinical practice can be improved to identify, assess and support them and their families. To date, my research has specifically focused on children affected by parental substance misuse and domestic violence and abuse. My other research interests are connected to these core topics, and relate to the education of social workers and how children's rights inform policy and practice. 

I am currently Co-I on a Nuffield funded project (Jan 2020-Jan 2022) which is exploring the rate and factors associated with discharge of care orders in the family court system. I also work on the NIHR funded ReProvide programme (IRIS+) with colleagues from the Bristol Medical School (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/researchthemes/reprovide/). IRIS+ is a training and support intervention for general practice to improve the response to children experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA) as well as men and women experiencing or perpetrating DVA. As PI, I recently completed an ESRC IAA project that explored the feasibility of developing an online learning resource for social workers around parental substance misuse. This project was in collaboration with the British Association of Social Workers. 

Methodologically, I have particular expertise in case file analysis and applied statistical analysis. I am also an experienced qualitative researcher, having facilitated and conducted interviews and focus groups on sensitive topics such as domestic violence, child abuse and family support with children, young people and adults. I have a keen interest in research ethics, and sit on the School's research ethics committee.