معرفی
Dr Louise Roberts is a Professor of Social Work at Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences (2014) and has extensive experience in both academic research and professional social work. Her research focuses on child welfare, foster care, and the experiences of care-experienced young people, particularly issues related to education, parenthood, and policy implementation.
- Current Role: Lecturer in Social Work and Research Associate at CASCADE (Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre).
- Key Affiliations: Health and Care Research Wales (post-doctoral fellowship), CASCADE Voices (award-winning advisory group).
Her research interests emphasize family support systems, policy evaluation, and the intersection of social work practice with systemic challenges faced by care-experienced individuals. Notable projects include evaluations of the Basic Income for Care Leavers pilot in Wales and studies on the educational trajectories of looked-after children.
Recent publications highlight trends in social welfare policy, care-experienced youth advocacy, and the buffering effects of life turning points for foster care alumni. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications, influencing policy reforms and service delivery in Wales.
- Grants and Awards:
- £253,868 Health and Care Research Wales post-doctoral fellowship (2014–2019)
- £23,429 Forging Communities of Practice grant (2017–2018)
Dr Roberts collaborates with statutory agencies like Welsh Government and third-sector organizations (e.g., Barnardo’s, NYAS) to ensure research impacts practice. She supervises PhD students exploring care leavers’ transitions and adopted children’s schooling experiences.
Key achievements include co-editing the book Children and Young People Looked After? Education, Intervention and the Everyday Culture of Care in Wales (2019) and leading evaluations of family support services such as Reflect in Gwent.
