October 2026 - October 2031
Projects
Academic Leadership for Data First: Maximising the Impact of Linked Justice Data
The Ministry of Justice’s Data First programme, funded by Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK), brings together administrative data from across the justice system, creating new opportunities to understand people’s experiences of justice and generate evidence to inform policy and practice.
Siblings in contact with children’s social care
September 2026 - March 2028
Research suggests that many children in England have contact with a social worker at some point during their school years.
The enactment of part-time timetables in English schools
June 2026 - May 2027
Adopting a policy enactment framing, this mixed methods research study will investigate how national policy on the use of part-time timetables is being interpreted, translated, and put into practice in England.
Interdisciplinary hub to promote developmental recovery for infants
November 2025 - December 2026
This hub focuses on promoting optimal outcomes for infants who have had significant adverse early life experiences and whose cognitive, social and emotional development may have been impacted as a result.
Enhancing Care Stability: the Hadley Research Initiative
April 2025 - September 2027
Research to understand what stability means for children in care, how stable care experiences are established and maintained, why children’s circumstances sometimes change, and how policy and practice can support positive and coherent care journeys.
Belonging in education: co-designing an evidence-informed model of practice
April 2025 - July 2027
Building on previous work, this project focuses on progressively working towards building more equitable and inclusive education systems, where belonging is the guiding principle.
The Welsh Basic Income Scheme
July 2022
The two-year pilot intends to give each eligible care leaver a monthly payment of £1,280 (net) over twelve months with the aim of giving greater financial security during the vulnerable period of leaving care.
Family Routes: Growing up in adoptive and Special Guardianship families
November 2021 - December 2028
If you would like to join the study or have any questions, you can contact the research team on: Family.
Children’s Information: Improving lives through better listening and better data
October 2021 - January 2027
Lots of information is collected about the children and families involved with children’s services but this information is not always used to best meet the needs and interests of children, young people and families.
Born into Care: Towards Best Practice Guidelines when the State intervenes at birth
This research project is a partnership between Lancaster University and the Rees Centre for the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory.
Bright Spots: the subjective wellbeing of looked after children
The Bright Spots programme supports local authorities to systematically listen to their children in care and care leavers, about the things that are important to them.
Hadley Programme- Adoption
A range of adoption-related projects led by Professor Julie Selwyn.