Since qualifying as a social worker in 1998, I have occupied social work roles in mental health, child protection and adult services. I have also been a Probation Officer in a public protection team where I specialised in working with high risk offenders.
My last full-time practice role was as a Family Court Advisor/ Children's Guardian, spending nine years undertaking a significant amount of direct work with children and families, preparing reports and recommendations specifically for the Family Division of the High Court. My experience in the High Court extended to acting in international private and public law disputes including child abduction, honour-related abuse, medical cases, international adoption and surrogacy, as well as working with matters relating to domestic and sexual abuse. This involved undertaking assessments in a number of EU and non EU countries.
I continue to undertake independent social work assessments for court proceedings.
I have also taught on undergraduate law and undergraduate and postgraduate social work programmes. Some of my research interests include decision-making and unconscious bias; the impact of trauma on learning; the relationship between childhood memory and parental narratives and transnational abandonment.
I have co authored a book with Robert Johns - the A- Z of social work law.
Senior lecturer