Dr Kelly Bracewell

Kelly's current role as Research Fellow requires effective team working within the Connect Centre, an established research centre for interpersonal harm, across different projects. She is also a trustee for local charities.

Kelly has undertaken several longitudinal research projects, supported research projects and service evaluations, and been seconded to major research projects with the University of Stirling and National Policing Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme (VKPP). Kelly's PhD research focused on refuges as an intervention for young people.

Kelly possesses strong skills and expertise in qualitative research methods, particularly in working with vulnerable groups. In 2022 Kelly set up and continues to support and sustain an adult survivor consultation group ‘Voice of Survivors’ who provide knowledge and expertise to the Connect Centre and external projects. A children’s group ‘The Smarties’ was also set up with colleagues in 2024.

Kelly undertakes a range of research activities including literature review, design of research tools including surveys, interviews, focus groups, data analysis, observations, case file analysis, and report writing. She has worked with a wide range of external agencies including commissioners and local authorities, (vulnerable) service users, staff members, students, volunteers, and the public all of which require different ways and forms of communication, including briefing papers.

Kelly is an experienced and effective presenter and has worked on an international scale around dissemination and contributing to prestigious conferences. She has excellent abilities in developing and maintaining relationships with both organisations/gatekeepers and research participants over longitudinal projects, including with young people and those who have experienced trauma.

Kelly has significant research and work experience in the field of domestic violence and abuse. This includes current work around domestic homicide reviews as well as service evaluations. Areas of detailed knowledge include: Domestic Violence and Abuse, Sexual Violence, Victimisation, Violence prevention, Gender, Feminism, Feminist Methods, Immigration/Migration of women and children, and methods of working with children and young people. Kelly presents research findings at local, national and European conferences.

Kelly has almost ten years experience and expertise within the voluntary sector, working and volunteering for a domestic violence organisation - working with victims/ survivors of domestic violence and abuse – men, women, children and young people. She assisted with the launch of the Connect Centre (an international centre for research on interpersonal violence and harm) in 2013 and with several research projects both within and outside of the university. These include the National evaluation of the PAUSE pilot, the Evaluation of the Doncaster Growing Futures Programme and the Evaluation of a Leaving Care Service.

Kelly has also successfully supported dissertation students at both undergraduate and post graduate level around vulnerable children and families. She currently supervises three doctoral students in the fields of stalking and domestic abuse.