My research interests reflect my practice experience as a registered social worker working with children and families in family support settings, which led to my PhD that used conversation analysis to examine the recruitment of fathers to parenting programmes.

I have developed specific expertise in research related to family support through projects considering the experiences of support received by families when parents separate, the recruitment of fathers to parenting programmes and the experiences of fathers with learning disabilities.

I frequently collaborate with other researchers and have worked on numerous research projects across health and social care, focused on adults as well as children and families. This has given me a broad range of understanding of issues related to conducting assessments in adult social care, loneliness experienced by older men, and improving the use of research in decision-making in adult social care.

I use a range of qualitative methods in research with a particular interest in conversation analysis to understand professional practice. I have used co-production methods in a number of projects to work collaboratively and equitably with members of the public and people who have received services so that research findings are relevant to those whose lives research is intended to improve.