معرفی
Claire Cameron is the UK's first Professor of Social Pedagogy at University College London (UCL), Social Research Institute, where she has been based since 2013. She also holds a conjunct professorship at the University of Newcastle, Centre for Excellence in Equity in Higher Education, Australia since 2016. As a member of the Thomas Coram Research Unit, Professor Cameron leads research on children's and young people's lives, particularly those in disadvantaged circumstances, and researches the children's workforce.
Professor Cameron's research interests focus on social pedagogy, which integrates care, education and upbringing - an approach well-established in continental Europe but emerging in the UK. Her work spans several key areas:
- Children's services and the children's workforce
- Children's and young people's experiences in families and with services
- Family livelihoods and their impacts on children and wellbeing
- Children in Care, Care Leavers, and Education of Children in Care
Professor Cameron's recent publication output shows a strong focus on urban childhoods, inequality, mental health in coastal communities, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young families. Her 2025 book "Urban Childhoods: Growing up in inequality and hope" represents a significant contribution to understanding the challenges faced by children in urban environments. Her research often employs cross-national methods and works at the intersection of academia and practice, collaborating with local authorities and NGOs across multiple European countries.
Professor Cameron has received funding from several major sources including:
- NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) for projects like "Play in Urban Spaces for Health" and "Fair Food Futures"
- UKRI-ESRC for the "Coastal Youth" project exploring the impact of coastal towns on young people's life chances
- ActEarly funding for research on inequalities of access to early childhood services
As a supervisor, Professor Cameron currently advises six doctoral students and welcomes inquiries from prospective students interested in social pedagogy, children's workforce, education of looked after children, foster care, residential care, early childhood education and care, with a particular interest in European perspectives and cross-national methods. Her work aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well Being), and Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
