Vânia is a Doctoral Candidate in Education at the Rees Centre, Department of Education, conducting research in the field of foster care placement success.

Her Doctoral research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding about successful placements, through analysing the associations between parenting and professional skills of foster carers and emotional, social, and behavioural outcomes of looked after children. The analysis will also compare findings between the English and the Portuguese foster care systems.

Her academic pathway started with a degree in Psychological Sciences and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from ISPA – University Institute. Following these degrees with two postgraduate diplomas: one in “Protection of Minors” from the Faculty of Law – University of Coimbra, and the other in “Data Analysis in the Social Sciences” from ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon. She also gained professional experience in the Portuguese child protection system by working as a Clinical Psychologist in vulnerable communities.

Currently she is a research collaborator at the InEd-Center for Research and Innovation in Education, School of Education of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto, and a Board member of various networks, such as: the EUSARF Academy, the Oxford Children’s Rights Network, and the Centro de Estudos Comparados da Criança em Família. She has several publications in the field of child protection systems, decision-making processes, foster care, and indicators of placement success.

Publications
  • Delgado, P., Pinto, V. S., Carvalho, J. M. S., & Gilligan, R. (2018). Contact in Foster Care in Portugal. The views of children in foster care and other key actors. Child & Family Social Work, 1-8.
  • Delgado, P., Carvalho, J. M. S., Pinto, V. S., & Oliveira, J. (2017). Carers and Professionals’ Perspectives on Foster Care Outcomes: The Role of Contact. Journal of Social Service Research, 43(5), 533-546.
  • Carvalho, J. M. S., Delgado, P., Benbenishty, R., Davidson-Arad, B., & Pinto, V. S.  (2017). Professional Judgments and Decisions on Placement in Foster Care and Reunification in Portugal. European Journal of Social Work, 21(2), 296-310.
  • Delgado, P., Carvalho, J. M. S., Pinto, V.S., & Martins, T. (2016). Decision, Risk and Uncertainty Withdrawal or Reunification of Children and Young People In Danger? Pedagogía Social. Revista Interuniversitaria, 28(2), 217-228.
  • Delgado, P., Carvalho, J. M. S., & Pinto, V. S. (2014). Growing-up in Family: The Permanence in Foster Care. Pedagogía Social. Revista Interuniversitaria, 23(1), 123-150.
  • Delgado, P., & Pinto, V. S. (2011). Criteria for the selection of foster families and monitoring of placements. Comparative study of the application of the Casey Foster Applicant Inventory-Applicant Version (CFAI-A). Children and Youth Services Review, 33(6), 1031-1038.