Personal statement

My research interests broadly involve deepening our understanding of key areas of practice in order to improve the experiences and life chances of children and young people in residential child care.  I am currently involved in research looking to identify potential threshold concepts in education for residential child care practitioners.  My largest study to date involved in-depth exploration and theorisation around physical restraint in residential child care.

My teaching is mostly on residential child care, with supporting research, theory and social policy related to child development and the impact of trauma and other forms of adversity on that development.  I lead up the MSc in Advanced Residential Child Care and serve as Vice Convener on the University's research ethics committee.

I joined the University of Strathclyde in 2003 and am simultaneously part of the School of Social Work & Social Policy and CELCIS (the Centre of Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland).  Before coming to the University, I worked in direct practice, management and training in residential treatment for adolescents in the United States and residential child care here in Scotland.