The Research Team
The research team consists of social workers and experienced researchers who bring expertise in social work and vulnerable young people.
Jeanette Cossar
Senior Lecturer
Email: jeanette.cossar@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3389
Profile: Jeanette Cossar has worked with looked after children in local authorities and has published research on young people's perspectives of the services and support their receive. Jeanette is especially interested in involving service users in her research and has worked with young researchers in past projects. In this study, Jeanette is leading the young researcher group.
Birgit Larsson
Lecturer
Email: b.larsson@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 7501
Profile: Birgit Larsson has worked with young people in different settings and has experience with interviewing young people in trouble with the police; young people who have spent time in residential and foster care; and professionals who work with vulnerable young people. Birgit did some young person and foster carer interviews and worked with Jeanette with the young researcher group.
Pippa Belderson
Senior Research Associate
Email: p.belderson@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3554
Profile: Pippa Belderson has worked on a number of different research projects involving children and young people in settings such as education and social care. For this project, Pippa is in charge of the survey and did some of the interviews.
Gillian Schofield
Professor of Child & Family Social Work
Email: g.schofield@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3561
Profile: Gillian Schofield has been working for many years to improve the lives of children in care. She has talked with young people in care about their experiences, as well as interviewing their foster carers, residential workers and social workers. She has also published articles and books to help local authorities to provide better care for children.
Christine Cocker
Senior Lecturer in Social Work
Email: christine.cocker@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3387
Profile: Christine Cocker has researched and written about lesbian and gay fostering and adoption and social work with looked after children. She has worked with looked after children and young people in local authorities for many years.
Jane Dodsworth
Lecturer
Email: jane.dodsworth@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 59 3572
Profile: Jane Dodsworth's area of expertise include men and women involved in sex work and young people at risk of sexual exploitation, including the experiences of young people going missing from home or the care system.
Peter Jordan
Lecturer
Email: p.jordan@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591969
Profile: Peter Jordan has worked with children and families for many years. Peter will be available to do young person interviews for anyone who prefers speaking with a man.
Emma Ward
Senior Research Associate
Email: emma.ward@uea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1603 591734
Profile: Emma Ward has worked on several national research projects exploring young people’s experiences of care which involved interviewing looked after children, carers, and professionals working with them. For this study, Emma interviewed young people and foster carers and was involved in the practitioner focus groups.