Professor Cath Larkins

Cath has published widely in the fields of Childhood Studies, Child and Family Social Work, Youth and Justice. Her writing combines social theory and cocreated empirical research with children and young people to critique dominant understandings of children, childhood and childhood policy and practice. This work has been funded by the AHRC, the European Union and Council of Europe, UK Governments and charitable foundations. The Social Care Rapid Evaluation Team SOCRATES, that she currently codirects, is a five year collaborations with public advisors and researchers from London School of Economics and Kings College London. It aims to make a difference in the experience of social care in the areas that matter to the public and staff. This will be achieved through up to ten evaluations of innovations that have potential to be scaled nationally. Cath also codirects The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation which unites staff with the university and external associates (children and adults) who are committed to challenging injustice through collaborative research and participation. She supports and mentors staff involved in a wide range of participatory research and evaluation activities. Cath also supervises PhD, Prof Doc and Masters students and contributes to teaching on the MA Social Work.

Cath has conducted collaborative research with children and young people since 1997, working with a national and international children focused organisations . She started work here in 2011. She also engages in advisory roles for national and international governments in relation to children's participation and children's rights focused policy and practice. This has included work for the EU Commission, The Fundamental Rights Agency, The Council of Europe, The Home Office, The Department for Culture Media and Sports and the Department of Health. Cath is a board member (ex Conveynor) of the European Sociological Association Sociology of Children and Childhood Research Network and an editorial board advisor for Sozialwissenschaftlichen Literatur Rundschau (SLR) and Sociedad e Infancias.