Overview
I am a Research Associate in the Children's Social Care Research and Development centre (CASCADE). Since October 2021 I have been undertaking a Health and Care Research Wales funded fellowship titled 'How can we improve the experiences and outcomes of autistic children in care? A mixed methods study of needs, services and good practice'.
I completed a PhD in the Wales Autism Research Centre at Cardiff University in 2018. Since then I have undertaken a research role in the public sector working for Estyn on education research in Wales and been a research associate in Durham University evaluating a support programme for parents of autistic children.
Since joining CASCADE in 2019 I have worked on numerous projects including:
- An evaluation of Action for Children's Serious Organised Crime Early Intervention Service
- A randomised control trial of Schwartz Rounds, a group intervention seeking to improve social work staff wellbeing
- An evaluation of the use of a trauma informed approach in domestic abuse services
- What Works for Children's Spocial Care funded projects on social workers in schools and devolved budgets
Biography
Education
PhD Psychology, Cardiff University (2013-2017)
MSc Psychology, University of Essex (2011-2012)
BA Geography, University of Sheffield (201-2005)
Academic positions
Research associate, CASCADE, Cardiff University (2019-present)
Research associate, Psychology, Durham University (2018-2019)
Publications
2022
- Westlake, D., Corliss, C., Thompson, S., Meindl, M., Diaz, C., Talwar, R. and Folkes, L. 2022. Devolved budgets in Children’s Social Care: A logic model based on three pilot evaluations. British Journal of Social Work (10.1093/bjsw/bcac019)
2020
- Wilkins, D., Thompson, S. and Bezeczky, Z. 2020. Child and family social work during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review of the evidence in relation to social work practice, natural disasters and pandemics. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Natural-Disasters-Rapid-Review_Aug-2020.pdf
- Wilkins, D., Thompson, S. and Bezeczky, Z. 2020. Child and family social work during the COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid review of the evidence in relation to remote leadership. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Rapid_Review_Remote_Leadership_June_2020.pdf
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Social workers in schools: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Social-Workers-in-Schools_pilot-study_full-report_May-2020.pdf
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Devolved budgets: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Devolved_Budgets_Full_Report_March_2020_FINAL.pdf
2019
- Thompson, S. J., Foulsham, T., Leekam, S. R. and Jones, C. R. 2019. Attention to the face is characterised by a difficult to inhibit first fixation to the eyes. Acta Psychologica 193, pp. 229-238. (10.1016/j.actpsy.2019.01.006)