Claire Mason
Research FellowProfile
Career details
I returned to Lancaster University in August 2015 as Senior Research Associate, having previously worked for the University as Lecturer of Social Work betwwen 2006 and 2013. I now work within the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research where I lead on engagement
I am a qualitative researcher and have worked on a wide range of projects at a local regional and national level. I was the lead researcher on the Nuffield Foundation funded study Vulnerable Birth Mothers and Recurrent Care Proceedings. Details of the project are available at: https://www.cfj-lancaster.org.uk/projects/vulnerable-birth-mothers-and-recurrent-care-proceedings
I have also worked within the Family Drug and Alcohol Court National Unit based in London to support the development an intensive two year support programme to pregnant women who have previously had children compulsorily removed from their care.
I am currently working as part of the Development Team for the new Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/ . This work includes scoping for the new FJO special interest project focussing on infants in the Family Justice System https://www.nuffieldfjo.org.uk/reports
I am a qualified social worker and before holding an academic post practised in the fields of social care and community development for ten years. My practice experience has largely been with children and families and this continues to be my main area of interest.
My work is positoned at the interface between academia and social work practice and I am committed to ensuring our research is utilised and translated into practice and I have led much of the impact and engagement work connected to the recent projects.
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Research Interests
I am particularly interested in researching the experiences of families who are in receipt of compulsory state interventions and that their voices help to shape policy and practice. I have been involved in a number of local, regional and national studies that have provided an analysis of career patterns and outcomes for children and families.
Current Research Activities
Vulnerable Birth Mothers Recurrent Care Proceedings
Nuffield Family Observatory Development Project
Infants in the Family Justice System
Twitter: @Recurrent_Care
@CSMason
Giving HOPE and minimising trauma for women separated from their babies at birth due to safeguarding concerns
01/01/2023 → 31/12/2024
Research
Giving hope and minimising trauma when parents are separated from their baby close to birth
01/12/2022 → 30/09/2023
Research
IAA: Hope Boxes: developing good practice
01/12/2021 → 31/08/2022
Research
Building Trauma-informed Responses in Supporting Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Community of Practice Approach
01/03/2020 → 31/12/2021
Research
Assessing the Use of Early Permanency in England
01/06/2019 → 31/03/2021
Research
Assessing the Use of Early Permanency in England
01/06/2019 → 31/03/2021
Research
Evaluation of the peer support for the senior social work managers pilot programme
01/02/2010 → 31/03/2011
Research
- Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities