Principal Lecturer (PGR Portfolio)

I first came to the University of Bedfordshire in 1994, and worked as a full-time researcher – and part-time PhD student - in the Department of Applied Social Studies until 2003.

I then left to work first at Birkbeck College and then the National Children’s Bureau.

I returned to the University in 2007 to work part-time as a researcher in the Institute of Applied Social Research, followed by some time in the School of Education Studies and a return to the Safer Young Lives Research Centre (formerly the International Centre: Researching Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking).

Since 2018 I have been responsible for working with doctoral students in the school and faculty. In April 2022 I took up the newly created post of Principal Lecturer (PGR Portfolio).

Qualifications

• MA (1^st Class Hons Sociology) University of Aberdeen 1993
• PhD (University of Luton) 1999
• Thesis title: Re-defining the problem: The exclusion from school of children living in children's homes.

Teaching Expertise

• I have taught at all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, from access courses to doctoral study.
• Currently, most of my teaching relates to doctoral teaching programmes.
• I have supervised eight Professional Doctorates and three PhDs to successful completion. I am currently Director of Studies for three doctoral students, and second supervisor for a further five students.

Research Interests

I am an experienced researcher and have worked on a wide range of research projects relating to different aspects of child welfare, including children and young people in care, education, youth offending, safeguarding and child exploitation. I am experienced in applying a variety of research methods and approaches.

• Child exploitation
• Safeguarding of children and young people
• Educational experiences of children in need and children in care
• Children missing from and excluded from school
• Research methodology in applied research, including evaluation.

Projects (last five years)

2020-2022 – Consultant and researcher, Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (responsible for co-leading strand of work on Children and Young People’s Voice; Risk Thematic).

2019-2020 – Acting Head of Evidence, Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme

2018-2020 – researcher, evaluation of the Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse

2017 – principal researcher, evaluation of Level Trust (Luton based charity providing support for the educational wellbeing of children living in poverty).

2015-2017 - Senior Research Fellow (.5) – responsible for research into the participation of young people in services relating to child sexual exploitation, The Alexi Project

External Roles

• External PhD Examiner (Coventry University, 2019; UCL, 2020).

• External examiner for the MA Child Studies programme at King’s College, University of London (2014-2018).
• Annual guest lectures to King’s College and Middlesex University.
• Recent presentations:

• Tackling Child Exploitation Programme Child Exploitation: Definitions and Language, 10^th November 2021 https://tce.researchinpractice.org.uk/child-exploitation-definition-and-language-strategic-briefing/
• Luton Family Justice Board Annual Conference Child Exploitation: An overview. 11^th February 2022
• Tackling Child Exploitation Programme Who are we doing this for? Moving the dial on risk assessments (with Alice Yeo) 23^rd February 2022
• The Children’s Society #LookCloser campaign Beyond Risk Assessments (with Marianne Head, The Children’s Society) 2^nd March 2022

Publications (last five years)

Brodie, I. (2022) Child Exploitation: Definitions and Language. Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme. Available at: https://tce.researchinpractice.org.uk/child-exploitation-definition-and-language-strategic-briefing/

Brodie, I. and Hurst, A. (2022) Community Awareness Raising: Key issues for strategic leaders. Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme. Available at: https://tce.researchinpractice.org.uk/?s=Isabelle+Brodie

Brodie, I., Latimer, K.with Firmin, C. (2020) Peer support interventions for safeguarding: a scoping review. Luton: Contextual Safeguarding Network. Available at: https://www.csnetwork.org.uk/assets/documents/Brodie-and-Latimer-with-Firmin-2020-Peer-support-interventions-for-safeguarding-a-scoping-review.pdf

Racher, A. and Brodie, I. (2020) Joining the dots? Tackling child exploitation during Covid-19. Journal of Children's Services.

Allen, K., Botcherby, S., Brodie, I., Holmes, D., Preston, O, and Trend, L. (2020) The CSA Centre: Final Evaluation Report. Available at: https://www.csacentre.org.uk/about-us/the-csa-centre-evaluation/

Brodie, I. and Pearce, J. (2017) ‘Violence against children in alternative care in alternative care internationally: reviewing the evidence’, Psychology, Health and Medicine, 22, 1, special issue.

Warrington, C. and Brodie, I. (2017) ‘Developing participatory practice and culture in CSE services’ in H. Beckett and J. Pearce (eds) Understanding and Responding to Child Sexual Exploitation. London: Routledge.

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)1234 123456

E:isabelle.brodie@beds.ac.uk