What are the key questions or problems your research aims to address?

1. How can we better understand the shorter and longer term impacts of poverty on children’s development and learning?
2. What can society do to help mitigate these impacts of poverty – particularly in the early years?

What initially sparked your research interest?

My research continues to inform — or challenge — early years policy regarding Early Childhood Education and poverty interventions in the early years.  For example, showing that the quality of Early Childhood Education can partially offset the effects of various socioeconomic disadvantages well into primary school. Also that the Sure Start Children’s Centre policy functioned as intended across England – i.e. that poorer families were more likely to use a Centre for longer, and when they did there were benefits for their children’s development.

How do you communicate your findings to non-specialist audiences?

Like this 😊. 

What has been the most difficult part of your research journey so far?

Coming from a really working class background, I didn’t, and still don’t often, see people like me doing this work.   That makes things really difficult at times. But, I’ve learned I can do a lot of things that I didn’t think I could do.   I can go into a room filled with academic colleagues and Ofsted staff and confidently offer constructive critique to inform Ofsted’s work in Early Childhood Education.  That’s not a thing I pictured myself doing as a 16 year old A-level psychology student!

If resources were unlimited, what project would you pursue?

I would run a new nationally-representative UK longitudinal study on the usage and effects of Early Childhood Education on children’s development and learning.   This would include robust assessments of quality and meaningful stakeholder engagement with all affected parties – from setting managers through to young children themselves.