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Professor of Sociology/Director of Tizard Centre, University of Kent

I joined the University of Kent as a Professor of Sociology and the Director of Tizard Centre. I graduated from the University of Essex (2005) with a PhD in Sociology (ESRC) and was awarded an ESRC post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Cambridge (2004/2005). My PhD was qualitative research with mothers and fathers who have children identified with ‘special educational needs’, which I published as Parenting and Inclusive Education in 2007. I have held academic posts at Aston, Anglia Ruskin, Brunel and Keele Universities. I have written on mothering/parenting, intellectual/learning disability, ethics of care, intimacy, and education. My latest book Intellectual Disability and Being Human: A Care Ethics Model, develops a care ethics model of disability. More recently I have carried out criminal justice research, funded by the Leverhulme Trust called Care-less Spaces: Prisoners with learning difficulties and their families (RF-2016-613\8). This involved carrying out over 40 life-story interviews with adults who have been through the criminal justice system (CJS) and are on the autism spectrum (AS), have learning difficulties (LD), and/or experience social, emotional, mental health problems (SEMH); mothers of offenders; and professionals who work with these groups of people.

Experience

  • 2020–present
    Professor of Sociology/Director of Tizard Centre, University of Kent
  • 2017–2020
    Professor of Sociology , University of Bradford
  • 2012–2017
    Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Aston University
  • 2009–2012
    Reader in Education , Anglia Ruskin University
  • 2008–2009
    Lecturer in Social Sciences, Brunel University
  • 2005–2008
    Lecturer in Education Studies, Keele University

Education

  • 2004 
    University of Essex, PhD

Professional Memberships

  • British Sociological Association (Trustee)