My research interests include child protection, poverty and inequality; work with Black and minority ethnic children and families, including unaccompanied migrant youth; work in the family courts; children in care and adoption; and the Capability Approach and Social Work. Throughout my work I maintain a focus on social justice and human rights, and am particularly interested in aprticipatory approaches with people who have had lived experience of social work services. On of my  publications is a co-written book: ‘Protecting Children: A Social Model’. I also co-edited the book: ‘Unaccompanied Young Migrants: Identity, care and Justice’.

I was co-investigator on a large ESRC funded project CO-POWeR that explored the impact of racial inequalities and the pandemic on Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities, and led the workpackage focussing on children, young people and families.

I am currently co-editor of the ESWRA/Policy Press Research in Social Work series and have previously sat on the  editorial boards of Relationships, Families and Societies and British Journal of Social Work. I regularly act as an external reviewer for research funding organisations in the UK (Nuffield, ESRC and NIHR) as well as Sweden and Belguim.