A Lancaster University professor, who has championed compassionate and effective services for women whose children are at risk of entering the care system, has received an OBE today at Windsor Castle.

Receiving the award from Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, Professor of Social Work Karen Broadhurst, whose OBE was announced in June in the King’s Birthday Honours, said she was delighted to be presented with the award, in recognition of her dedicated 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 added.

“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.

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.

At the ceremony Professor Broadhurst was accompanied by her daughter, Jessica, partner James and her mum, Rosemary.

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