Career details
I returned to Lancaster University in August 2015 as Senior Research Associate, having previously worked for the University as Lecturer of Social Work betwwen 2006 and 2013. I now work within the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research where I lead on engagement
I am a qualitative researcher and have worked on a wide range of projects at a local regional and national level. I was the lead researcher on the Nuffield Foundation funded study Vulnerable Birth Mothers and Recurrent Care Proceedings. Details of the project are available at: https://www.cfj-lancaster.org.uk/projects/vulnerable-birth-mothers-and-recurrent-care-proceedings
I have also worked within the Family Drug and Alcohol Court National Unit based in London to support the development an intensive two year support programme to pregnant women who have previously had children compulsorily removed from their care.
I am currently working as part of the Development Team for the new Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/ . This work includes scoping for the new FJO special interest project focussing on infants in the Family Justice System https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/reports
I am a qualified social worker and before holding an academic post practised in the fields of social care and community development for ten years. My practice experience has largely been with children and families and this continues to be my main area of interest.
My work is positoned at the interface between academia and social work practice and I am committed to ensuring our research is utilised and translated into practice and I have led much of the impact and engagement work connected to the recent projects.
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I am particularly interested in researching the experiences of families who are in receipt of compulsory state interventions and that their voices help to shape policy and practice. I have been involved in a number of local, regional and national studies that have provided an analysis of career patterns and outcomes for children and families.
Current Research Activities
Vulnerable Birth Mothers Recurrent Care Proceedings
Nuffield Family Observatory Development Project
Infants in the Family Justice System
Twitter: @Recurrent_Care
@CSMason
