A Lancaster University professor, who has championed compassionate and effective services for women whose children are at risk of entering the care system, receives an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Professor of Social Work Karen Broadhurst says she is delighted to receive the recognition awarded for her dedicated and high impact work in the field of child and family justice research.

“It is a privilege and reflects not only my work, but also the tireless commitment and collaboration of many colleagues, practitioners, and families with whom I have worked over the years,” she adds.

“Our shared efforts to improve justice and care for children and families engaged with public services and the family justice system are more important than ever.

“I am also pleased that this honour highlights the vital role research, evidence, and the social sciences play in shaping a fairer society.”

With more than 20 years of experience of child and family justice research under her belt, Professor Broadhurst is renowned for her sustained, high-impact research that has helped to improve the lives of parents and children at the sharp-edge of children's services.

Her team produced the first national estimate of women’s vulnerability to repeat involvement in care proceedings and this programme of research catalysed major reforms in preventative services.

Professor Broadhurst then went on to design and lead the high-profile Born into Care research series, which uncovered the scale of care proceedings at birth, and raised major questions about women’s access to justice. This programme of research has raised awareness of breaches of women’s legal rights in the immediate postnatal period and improved the help that women with complex needs receive during pregnancy and following birth.

Professor Broadhurst’s research combines rigorous data analysis with deep qualitative insights, bridging the gap between research, policy, frontline practice and family experience. Professor Broadhurst has a particular interest in how women with lived experience of services can be directly involved in the design and delivery of community-led services.

She currently leads the first large-scale UKRI Economic and Social Research Council-funded research study which is examining the impact of women’s cross-justice involvement (family and crime), and impact on mother-child relationships. The COMFT study (Child Outcomes for Mothers Facing Trial) is being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, Birth Companions and Swansea University.

Professor Broadhurst has served in numerous advisory roles across government departments including serving as expert academic advisor to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, the President of the Family Division’s Public Law Working Group and the Commission on Justice for Wales. She also led the development team which supported the Nuffield Foundation to establish the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory.

Professor Broadhurst is ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK) Ambassador helping to raise awareness of the value of large-scale public services data in providing vital intelligence for policy makers and those designing services. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in 2020.

Through her leadership, the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research at Lancaster University, founded by Professor Broadhurst in 2015, has become a nationally and internationally recognised collaborative hub for evidence-based policy and practice transformation, shaping how services are designed and delivered to better support vulnerable children and families.

Ulverston born and bred Professor Broadhurst, who lives locally, is a long-standing member of the University. She first joined the team at Lancaster in 2003 before taking up a role at Manchester University. She returned to Lancaster in 2015 and is the Discipline Lead for Social Work in Lancaster University’s newly established School of Social Sciences.

She is a regular media commentator, and her work has been covered by the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, BBC News, the Guardian and the Times.

Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University Professor Andy Schofield said: “Professor Broadhurst’s work to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families is exemplary. Her research rigour coupled with her ability to build connections and leverage influence for the benefit of others is inspiring. Colleagues at Lancaster University will no doubt join me in congratulating her on her much-deserved success.”

You can hear more about Professor Broadhurst’s work on the Lancaster University ‘This Is Lancaster’ podcast series.