Julie is Professor of Education and Adoption. She leads the Hadley programme of research within the Rees Centre.
The research focuses on improving the outcomes for children looked after by the state and those who leave care on permanence orders such as adoption and special guardianship orders. For example, research on understanding the best ways to train and support those who are parenting children who have been maltreated or are traumatised by past experiences. Her research is ‘close to practice’, ensuring strong partnerships with social care agencies and the third sector.
Julie was awarded a CBE for her work in 2015.
Julie has contributed expert evidence to NICE reviews and is an academic advisor to UK and international governments. She has appeared as an expert witness in contested adoption hearings in the Supreme Court in Australia and in family courts in England.
Research
Books
Ottaway, H., & Selwyn, J. (2016). ’No-one told us it was going to be like this’. University of Bristol.
Selwyn, J., Meakings, S., & Wijedasa, D. (2015). Beyond the Adoption Order: challenges, intervention and disruption. BAAF. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beyond-the-adoption-order-challenges-intervention-disruption
Saunders, H., & Selwyn, J. (2013). Best practice in placing sibling groups. BAAF.
Turney, D., Platt, D., Selwyn, J., & Farmer, E. (2012). Improving Child and Family Assessments: Turning research into practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Saunders, H., & Selwyn, J. (2011). Adopting Large Sibling Groups. BAAF.
Selwyn, J., Quinton, D., Harris, P., Wijedasa, D., Nawaz, S., & Wood, M. (2010). Pathways to permanence for black, Asian and mixed ethnicity children. BAAF.
Selwyn, J., Quinton, D., Harris, P., Wijedasa, D., Nawaz, S., & Wood, M. (2010). Pathways to Permanence for Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity Children. London: BAAF.
Selwyn, J., Sturgess, W., Quinton, D., & Baxter, C. (2006). Costs and outcomes of non-infant adoptions. British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF).
Boushel, M., Fawcett, M., & Selwyn, J. (2000). Focus on Early Childhood: Principles and Realities. Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Book chapters
Selwyn, J. (2015). The home study and assessment of applicants: research evidence. In J. Alper & D. Howe (Eds.), Assessing adoptive and foster parents (pp. 37-62). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Selwyn, J., & Wijedasa, D. (2009). The placement of looked after minority ethic children. In S. G. & J. Simmonds (Eds.), The Child Placement Handbook (pp. 363-381). London: BAAF.
Quinton, D., & Selwyn, J. (2006). Adoption in the UK: outcomes, influences and support. In C. McAuley, P. Pecora, & W. Rose (Eds.), Effective Interventions for Children and Families (pp. 253-265). Jessica Kingsley.
Selwyn, J. (2004). Placing Older Children in New Families:Changing Patterns of Contact. In E. Neil & D. Howe (Eds.), Contact in Adoption and Permanent Foster Care, Research Theory and Practice (pp. 144-164). London:BAAF Adoption and Fostering.
Selwyn, J., Sturgess, W., Quinton, D., & Baxter, C. (2004). Costs of Adoption. In C. null & A. L.Netten (Eds.), Unit Costs of Health and Social Care 2004 (pp. 11-17). Kent: PSSRU.
Selwyn, J. (2000). (i) Fetal development, (ii) Infancy and (iii) Technologies and environments: new freedoms, new constraints. In M. Boushel, M. Fawcett, & J. Selwyn (Eds.), Focus on early childhood: Principles and Realities (pp. 21-48). Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Selwyn, J. (1999). A for ever and ever family: siblings’ views as represented in reports for adoption hearings. In A. Mullender (Ed.), We Are Family: Sibling Relationships in Placement and Beyond (pp. 140-149). BAAF.
Selwyn, J. (1996). "Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?" Involuntary childlessness and identity. In I. Butler & I. Shaw (Eds.), A case of Neglect? Children’s experiences and the sociology of childhood (pp. 37-55). Avebury.
SELWYN, J. (n.d.). OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN ADOPTED FROM CARE IN THE UK. In C. Fenton-Glynn & N. Lowe (Eds.), Research Handbook on Adoption Law. Edward Elgar Publishers.
Journal articles
McGrane, J., Baker, C., & Selwyn, J. (2024). The development and psychometric validation of a survey to measure the subjective well-being of care leavers. Children and Youth Services Review, 158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107462
Selwyn, J., & Lewis, S. (2023). Keeping in touch: looked after children and young people’s views on their contact arrangements. Adoption and Fostering.
Selwyn, J., & Lewis, S. (2023). Keeping in Touch: looked after children and young people’s views on their contact arrangements. Adoption and Fostering, 47(2), 120-137. https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759231170879
Suh, E., & Selwyn, J. (2022). Exploring local authority variation in looked after young people’s subjective well-being. British Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac117
Selwyn, J., & Staines, J. (2020). “I wish someone would explain why I am in care”: The impact of children and young people’s lack of understanding of why they are in out-of-home care on their well-being and felt security. Child and Family Social Work, 25(S1), 97-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12721
Zhang, M., & Selwyn, J. (2019). The subjective well-being of children and young people in out of home care: psychometric analyses of the “Your Life, Your Care” survey. Child Indicators Research, 13(5), 1549-1572. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:fc2ff4c0-8192-4fb2-8079-3d4c839813e0
Staines, J., Golding, K., & Selwyn, J. (2019). Nurturing attachments parenting program: The relationship between adopters’ parental reflective functioning and perception of their children’s difficulties. Developmental Child Welfare, 1(2), 143-158. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516103219829861
Palacios, J., Adroher, S., Brodzinsky, D., Grotevant, H., Johnson, D., Juffer, F., Martínez-Mora, L., Muhamedrahimov, R., Selwyn, J., Simmonds, J., & Tarren-Sweeney, M. (2019). Adoption in the service of child protection: an international interdisciplinary perspective. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 25(2), 57-72. https://doi.org/10.1037/law0000192
Wood, M., & Selwyn, J. (2019). Looked after children and young people’s views on what matters to their subjective well-being. Adoption and Fostering, 41(1), 20-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308575916686034
Palacios, J., Rolock, N., Selwyn, J., & Barbosa-Ducharne, M. (2018). Adoption breakdown: Concept, research, and implications. Research on Social Work Practice, 29(2), 130-142. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731518783852
Selwyn, J. (2018). Sibling relationships in adoptive families that disrupted or were in crisis. Research on Social Work Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731518783859
Selwyn, J. (2017). The adoption of looked after maltreated children in England: Challenges, opportunities and outcomes. Developing Practice: The Child Youth and Family Work Journal.
Selwyn, J. (2017). The adoption of looked after maltreated children in England: challenges, opportunities and outcomes. Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family Work Journal. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:40af397f-e55d-44df-ade4-e665bf8460fc
Wijedasa, D., & Selwyn, J. (2017). Examining rates and risk factors for post-order adoption disruption in England and Wales through survival analyses. Children and Youth Services Review, 83, 179-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.10.005
Meakings, S., & Selwyn, J. (2016). ‘She was a foster mother who said she didn’t give cuddles’: The adverse early foster care experiences of children who later struggle with adoptive family life. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 21(4), 509-519. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104516631608
Selwyn, J., Wood, M., & Newman, T. (2016). Looked after children and young people in England: Developing measures of subjective well-being. Child Indicators Research, 10(2), 363-380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-016-9375-1
Selwyn, J., & Meakings, S. (2015). Adolescent-to-parent violence in adoptive families. British Journal of Social Work, 46(5), 1224-1240. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcv072
Selwyn, J., & Meakings, S. (2015). "She just didn’t smell right!’ Odour and adoptive family life. ADOPTION AND FOSTERING, 39(4), 294-302. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308575915612617
SELWYN, J., & Masson, J. (2014). Adoption, special guardianship and residence orders: a comparison of disruption rates. Family Law Journal, 44, 1709-1714. http://www.familylaw.co.uk/news_and_comment/adoption-special-guardianship-and-residence-orders-a-comparison-of-disruption-rates
Selwyn, J., & Nandy, S. (2014). Kinship care in the UK: using census data to estimate the extent of formal and informal care by relatives. CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, 19(1), 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2012.00879.x
Nandy, S., & Selwyn, J. (2013). Kinship Care and Poverty: Using Census Data to Examine the Extent and Nature of Kinship Care in the UK. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 43(8), 1649-1666. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs057
Farmer, E., Selwyn, J., & Meakings, S. (2013). Other children say you’re not normal because you don’t live with your parents’. Children’s views of living with informal kinship carers: social networks, stigma and attachment to carers. CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, 18(1), 25-34. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12030
Farmer, E., Selwyn, J., & Meakings, S. (2013). ’Other children say you’re not normal because you don’t live with your parents’. Child and Family Social Work.
Selwyn, J., & Nandy, S. (2012). Sibling kinship carers in England: Evidence from the 2001 UK population census. CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES REVIEW, 34(1), 194-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.015
Staines, J., Farmer, E., & Selwyn, J. (2011). Implementing a Therapeutic Team Parenting Approach to Fostering: The Experiences of One Independent Foster-Care Agency. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 41(2), 314-332. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcq043
Selwyn, J., & Sempik, J. (2011). Recruiting Adoptive Families: The Costs of Family Finding and the Failure of the Inter-Agency Fee. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 41(3), 415-431. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcq075
Selwyn, J., & Wijedesa, D. (2011). Pathways to adoption for minority ethnic children in England - reasons for entry to care. CHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, 16(3), 276-286. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2010.00739.x
Selwyn, J. (2010). The Challenges in Planning for Permanency. Adoption and Fostering, 34(3), 32-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857591003400306
Selwyn, J., Saunders, H., & Farmer, E. (2010). The Views of Children and Young People on Being Cared For by an Independent Foster-Care Provider. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 40(3), 696-713. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcn117
Rees, C., & Selwyn, J. (2009). Non-infant adoption from care: lessons for safeguarding children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(4), 561-567. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00978.x
Selwyn, J., del Tufo, S., & Frazer, L. (2009). It’s a Piece of Cake?: An evaluation of an Adopter Training Programme. Adoption and Fostering, 33(1), 30-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857590903300104
Quinton, D., & Selwyn, J. (2009). Adoption as a solution to intractable parenting problems: Evidence from two English studies. CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES REVIEW, 31(10), 1119-1126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.07.008
Saunders, H., & Selwyn, J. (2008). Supporting Informal Kinship Care. Adoption and Fostering, 32(2), 31-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857590803200205
Sturgess, W., & Selwyn, J. (2007). Supporting the placements of children adopted out of care. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 12(1), 13-28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104507071051
Quinton, D., & Selwyn, J. (2006). Adoption: research, policy and practice. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 18 (4), 459-477.
Selwyn, J., Frazer, L., & Wrighton, P. (2006). More Than Just a Letter: Service User Perspectives on One Local Authority’s Adoption postbox service. Adoption and Fostering, 30(2), 6-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857590603000203
Selwyn, J., Frazer, L., & Quinton, D. (2006). Paved with good intentions: The pathway to adoption and the costs of delay. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK, 36(4), 561-576. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bch272
Selwyn, J. (2006). Understanding Pathways to Permanence: Adoption and minority ethnic children. ChildRIGHT (The Childrens Legal Centre), cR223, 14-17.
Selwyn, J. (2006). More than just a letter. Adoption and Fostering, 30, 6-17.
Frazer, L., & Selwyn, J. (2005). Why are we waiting? The demography of adoption for children of black, Asian and black mixed parentage in England. Child and Family Social Work, 10(2), 135-147. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2005.00341.x
Selwyn, J., & Quinton, D. (2004). Stability, Permanence, Outcomes and Support: Foster Care and Adoption Compared. Adoption and Fostering, 28(4), 6-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857590402800403
Selwyn, J., & Sturgess, W. (2002). Achieving Permanency through Adoption: Following in US Footsteps?. Adoption and Fostering, 26(3), 40-49. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857590202600307
Rose, S., & Selwyn, J. (2000). Child neglect. International Social Work, 43(2), 179-192. https://doi.org/10.1177/002087280004300204
Quinton, D., Selwyn, J., Rushton, A., & Dance, C. (1999). Contact between children placed away from home and their birth parents: Ryburn’s ’reanalysis’ analysed. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 4(4), 519-531. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104599004004008
Quinton, D., Selwyn, J., Rushton, A., & Dance, C. (1999). Contact between children placed away from home and their birth parents. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 4, 519-532.
Quinton, D., Selwyn, J., Rushton, A., & Dance, C. (1998). Contact with birth parents in adoption: a response to Ryburn. Child and Family Law Quarterly, 10, 349-361.
Selwyn, J. (1996). Ascertaining Children’s Wishes and Feelings in Relation to Adoption. Adoption and Fostering, 20(3), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/030857599602000305
Selwyn, J. (1994). Spies, Informers and double agents:Adoption assessments and role ambiguity. Adoption and Fostering, 18.4.
Reports
SELWYN, J., & Lewis, S. (2021). The views and experiences of approved adopters in 5 regional adoption agencies. Department for Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-regional-adoption-agencies
SELWYN, J., & Lewis, S. (2021). Supporting adoptive families: the views of adoptive parents in 4 regional adoption agencies. Department for Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-regional-adoption-agencies
Briheim, L., Michelmore, O., Baker, C., Oluwanifemi, O., Taylor, S., & SELWYN, J. (2020). Bright Spots report (2020) What makes life good? Care leavers’ views on their wellbeing. Coram Voice. https://coramvoice.org.uk/for-professionals/bright-spots/bright-spots-publications/
Selwyn, J. (2017). Post-adoption support and interventions for adoptive families: Best practice approaches. German Research Center on Adoption (EFZA). https://www.dji.de/medien-und-kommunikation/publikationen/detailansicht/literatur/24896-post-adoption-support-and-interventions-for-adoptive-families-best-practice-approaches.html
Selwyn, J., & Briheim-Crookall, L. (2017). Our Lives, Our Care. School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.
Ottaway, H., & Selwyn, J. (2016). "No-one told us it was going to be like this". Fostering Attachments Ltd. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.33955.45606
Selwyn, J., Golding, K., Joanne, A., Gurney Smith, B., & Hewitt, O. (2016). A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the Nurturing Attachments Group Programme. Adoptionplus.
Selwyn, J., & Meakings, S. (2015). Beyond the adoption order (Wales): Discord and disruption in adoptive families. Welsh Assembly Government.
Selwyn, J., & Wood, M. (2015). Measuring Well-Being. University of Bristol.
Wood, M., & Selwyn, J. (2015). Children and Young People’s views of being in care. University of Bristol.
Selwyn, J., Wijedasa, D., & Meakings, S. (2014). Beyond the adoption order: challenges, intervention, disruption
. Department for Education. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2f2cfd06-0aa8-4cc8-9f38-74662ceaf7bf
Selwyn, J., Farmer, E., Meakings, S., & Vaisey, P. (2013). The Poor Relations? Children and Informal Kinship Carers Speak Out. School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.
Turney, D., Platt, D., Selwyn, J., & Farmer, E. (2011). Social Work Assessment of Children in Need: What do we know? Messages from research. Department for Education.
Wijedasa, D., & Selwyn, J. (2011). Transition to adulthood for adopted young people:Secondary analyses of data from the longitudinal study of young people in England (LSYPE). Hadley Trust.
Selwyn, J., Sempik, J., Wijedasa, D., & Thurston, P. (2010). Adoption and the inter-agency fee Research Report DCSF-RR149. DCSF.
Selwyn, J., Sempik, J., Wijedasa, D., & Thurston, P. (2009). Adoption and the inter-agency fee. DCSF.
Jenkins, S., Chindoroy, R., Selwyn, J., & Saunders, H. (2009). Foster Carer Payments Schedule and Fees Framework. Welsh Assembly Government.
Saunders, H., Selwyn, J., & Wales, L. (2009). Foster Carer Payments Schedule and Fees Framework. Welsh Assembly Government.
Hutchinson, B., & Selwyn, J. (2009). Independent assessment process in relation to the Sexual Orientation regulations and their impact on faith based adoption and fostering agencies. Prime Minister’s Office and Government Equalities Office.
Selwyn, J., & Wijedasa, D. (2009). An evaluation of a new model for providing adoption services. DCSF.
Selwyn, J., Harris, P., Quinton, D., Wijedasa, D., Nawaz, S., & Wood, M. (2008). Pathways to Permanence for Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity Children: Dilemmas, Decision Making and Outcomes - Research Brief. The Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Saunders, H., Wijedasa, D., & Selwyn, J. (2008). Educational Support Services provided by Independent Foster Care Providers (IFPs). DCSF.
Selwyn, J., & Misca, G. (2006). Could it be you? A national survey of Barnardo’s adopters, foster carers and short break carers. Barnardo’s.
Selwyn, J., Frazer, L., & Fitzgerald, A. (2004). Finding Adoptive Families for Black, Asian and Black Mixed Parentage Children: Agency Policy and Practice. Bristol: NCH and Hadley Centre for Adoption and Foster Care Studies.
Other
Selwyn, J., & Wijedasa, D. (2010). Pathways to permanence for Black and Minority Ethnic Children.
Selwyn, J. (2010). Kinship care: Expert Paper. NICE/SCIE ’Guidance on improving the physical health and emotional health and well-being of looked after children and young people’.
Selwyn, J. (2010). Pathways to permanence for minority ethnic children: expert paper. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence ’Guidance on improving the physical health and emotional health and well-being of looked after children and young people.
Selwyn, J., & Sturgess, W. (2001). International Overview of Adoption: Policy and Practice. School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.
