Sarah Hansen

Sarah Hansen is a Lecturer of Practice (Education) at the School of Law, Queen's University Belfast. Her research focuses on post-adoption legal frameworks, particularly in Northern Ireland, examining issues like post-adoption contact rights, birth parent perspectives, and judicial decision-making in UK courts. She specializes in socio-legal studies intersecting family law, human rights, and social policy.

Her work analyzes competing rights between children and birth parents, the role of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights in adoption cases, and sibling relationships post-adoption. She has contributed to conferences and peer-reviewed journals, advocating for nuanced legal approaches to adoption's long-term social implications.

Hansen has organized academic events such as the School of Law Legal Education Cluster Seminar Series (2024-2025) and presented findings from her qualitative study on birth parents' experiences in adoption proceedings. Her research emphasizes balancing legal, ethical, and familial dimensions in family law.