معرفی
Dr. Donna Peach serves as a Part-Time Lecturer at the University of Salford's School of Health & Society and is affiliated with the Centre for Research on Inclusive Society. With a career spanning from 1985 in social work, she brings extensive practical experience to her academic role, having worked therapeutically with children, served in senior management positions, worked with CAFCASS, and acted as an expert witness for family courts. Since joining the university in 2013, she has developed a robust research profile while maintaining an active consultancy practice.
- PhD in The lived experience of prospective adoptive parents in 21st Century Britain (2017)
- MSc Family & Child Psychology (2012)
- BSc Psychology (Hons) (2011)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (2015)
- Higher Education Diploma in Social Work (1995)
Dr. Peach's research operates within a critical social psychology paradigm, examining adoption, childhood sexual abuse and exploitation, parenting, familial relationships, and social policy through lenses of power relations, feminist theory, and social protest. Her methodological approach emphasizes qualitative inquiry with pluralism, dialogism, phenomenology, and discourse analysis. She has developed particular expertise in understanding the experiences of vulnerable populations, especially children and young people facing exploitation or navigating complex care systems.
Her publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output across multiple formats, with significant contributions to understanding child sexual exploitation, adoption practices, and mental health impacts on professionals working with vulnerable populations. Her 2025 book chapter on PhDForum reflects her innovative approach to creating academic community spaces in digital environments.
- Higher Education Academy Senior Fellow (2024)
- Higher Education Academy Fellow (2015)
- Expert Panel Member for HMICFRS Inquiry (2022-2023)
- Member of UKRI Talent Peer Review College (2024)
Dr. Peach actively supervises doctoral candidates using qualitative or mixed-method approaches, currently guiding two students through professional doctorates examining pastoral staff wellbeing and the experiences of asylum-seeking youth transitioning to adulthood. Her consultancy work complements her academic role, with recent projects including the AEGIS initiative addressing healthcare access for children seeking asylum and evaluations of various social care programs across the UK.
