Senior Lecturer in Sociology

I became a lecturer and researcher in the School after the completion of my PhD here in 2011.

My PhD explored what Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children had to say about their experiences of asylum and resettlement in the UK, using the frame of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989).

It was a narrative-based enquiry that focused centrally on the ways in which unaccompanied asylum seeking children themselves felt the UNCRC was or was not being rendered alive through their experiences.

Having been a research student in the School I was happy when I was offered a job here. I had observed first hand the humanitarian sympathies and good scholarship that holds together the teaching and research activities and I very much wanted to be a part of that.

Teaching Role

• International and national social policy
• International Social work
• The foundations and nature of social theory
• Contemporary social theory
• Qualitative Research methods
• Globalisation and Human Rights
• Identity and Structure
• Sociology of Knowledge
• Issues in International Criminal Law
• Post-Colonial Theory
• Undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation supervision

Research Interests

• The mechanics and meaning of the UNCRC in the lives of unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
• Children and the asylum determination process.
• Unaccompanied asylum seeking children and their journey towards resettlement.
• Gender, childhood and asylum
• Comparative European approaches to children and forced migration.
• Child Care settings and outcomes for Looked After Children, including Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.
• Theoretical approaches to understanding the forced migration of children.

Service to the Academic/Professional Community

• Nordic Network for Research Co-Operation on Refugee Children
• Plateforme d'experts sur la Migration de Mineurs. PUCAFREU, Migrinter, University of Poitiers
• International Red Cross, Paris (2012) Engaging Children's Rights and the Care and Protection of Children Crossing Borders
• The New Migration Partnership. Luton
• The City of Sanctuary Movement
• The Associate Parliamentary Group For Looked After Children
• Refugee Week Organising Committees for Luton and Bedford
• Befriending Project Advisory Group, Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (2008 to 2010)

Media

• June (2011) BBC Three Counties; Welcome To Bantu: The Importance of Receiving and Creating Hospitable Places for Refugees and Asylum Seekers. (A talk and phone in about Refugee Week, 2012)

Recent Publications

• Connolly, H (2014 to be confirmed) Seeing the relationship between the UNCRC and the asylum system through the eyes of unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people. International Journal of Children's Rights
• Connolly, H (September 2014) For A While Out of Orbit: Listening To What Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children In The UK Say About Their Rights and Experiences In Private Foster Care. British Journal of Adoption and Fostering.
• Connolly, H and Kohli, RKS (November 2013) A Research Review on the Resettlement Process for Refugee Children And Families. Community Care Inform.
• Connolly, H and Kohli, RKS (Forthcoming) A Research Review on the Asylum and Resettlement Process for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. Community Care Inform
• Wigley, V., Preston-Shoot, M., McMurray, I. and Connolly, H. (2012) 'Researching young people's outcomes in children's services:: findings from a longitudinal  study', Journal of Social Work.
• McMurray, I., Connolly, H., Preston-Shoot, M. and Wigley, V (2011) Shards of the Old Looking Glass. Restoring the Significance of Identity In Promoting Positive Outcomes For Looked After Children. Child And Family Social Work. Vol 16 (2) 210-218
• Wigley, V, Preston-Shoot, MPS, McMurray, I and Connolly, H (2011) Researching Young People's Outcomes In Children's Services: Findings From A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Social Work. April.
• Kohli, R, Connolly, H, Warman, A (2010) Food and Its Meaning for Asylum Seeking Children in Foster Care, Children's Geographies, Vol 8, (3) 233-245
• Kohli R & Connolly H (2009) Young People Seeking Asylum, in Petch A (ed.) Managing Transition: Support for Individuals At Key Points of Transition. Policy Press
• Kohli,RKS., Connolly, H. (2008) Reference Manual On Fostering And Asylum Seeking Children. Community Care Inform
• Preston-Shoot, M., Wigley, V., McMurray, I., Connolly, H. (2008) Reflections On Ethical Research In Action: Working At The Practice Edge. Ethics and Social Welfare, Volume 2, Issue 2. July 2008.
• McMurray, I., Connolly, H., Preston-Shoot, M. and Wigley, V (2008). Constructing Resilience: Social Workers' Understandings and Practice. Health and Social Care In The Community, Volume 16, Number 3, May 2008
• Connolly, H., McMurray, I. Hear Me! The Findings of A Participatory Project Exploring How Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children In The UK Conceptualise Their Experiences Next To The Provisions Of The UN CRC. International Juvenile Justice Observatory (2008)

Research Reports

• Connolly, H and Kohli, R (February 2014) By their side and on their side: Reviewing the evidence for Guardianship for separated children in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children And Young People. 
• Kohli, R, Connolly, H and Beckett, H (February 2014) Guardianship for Separated Children: A Review of Law, Practice, and Service Provision in Northern Ireland. For Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.
• Kohli, R, Mitchell, F and Connolly, H  (November 2012) An Analysis of the coverage of issues related to children in Country of Origin Reports produced by the Home Office.
• Kohli, R, Beckett, H and Connolly, H (ongoing) Guardianship for Separated Children: A Review of Law, Practice, and Service Provision in Northern Ireland. For Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.
• Preston-Shoot, M., McMurray, I., Wigley, V and Connolly, H (2007) Research on Outcomes and Settings of Looked after children –Stage 2 – Phase 2 Report
• Preston-Shoot,M., McMurray, I., Wigley, V and Connolly, H (2007) Research on Outcomes and Settings of Looked after children –Stage 2 – Phase 1 Interim Report

Recent Conference Presentations

• Connolly, H (November, 2012) Articles of Faith: Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children's Hope for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nordic Network for Research Co-Operation on Refugee Children. Gothenburg University.
• Connolly, H (October 2012, Plenary) "For A While Out of Orbit": Listening to What Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children In The UK Say About Their Rights And Experiences In Private Foster Care. Unprotected Unaccompanied Children In Europe: Which Reasons Lead To Their Lack of Protection, Conference. PUCAFREU, University of Poitiers, France.
• Connolly, H (July 2012) The Rights and Lives of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in the UK. Going for Gold. University of Bedfordshire Annual Conference.
• Connolly, H (June 2012) Theoretical Frameworks In Research On Unaccompanied Refugee Minors And Refugee Children: A Response to Resilience Theory. Nordic Network For Research Co-operation On Unaccompanied Minors (NordUM), Ghent, Belgium.
• Kohli, R, Connolly, H, Warman, A (2009) Food and Its Meaning for Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children in Foster Care. Lunch Time Seminar for British Sociological Association Food Study Group
• Kohli, R, Connolly, H, Warman, A (2009) Food and Its Meaning for Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children in Foster Care. Children's Food Practices In Families and Institutions, Stirling University
• Connolly, H, Kohli, R (2009) Creating a Secure Base for Refugee and Asylum Seeking Children in Foster Care. Centre for the Development of Social Care Practice, University of Bedfordshire
• McMurray, I. Connolly, H, Preston-Shoot, M., Wigley, V. (2008) Shards Of The Old Looking Glass: Restoring Identity Theory For Use In Social Work Practice. Poster Presentation. Care Matters – Transforming Lives – Improving Outcomes. (Incorporating the 8th International Looking After Children Conference) Keble College, Oxford
• Connolly, H. Kohli, RKS (2008) It's Not In My Gift; Young Asylum Seekers' Accounts Of The Asylum System. Workshop Presentation. Children And Migration: Identities, Mobilities And Belonging Conference. Cork University
• McMurray, I and Connolly, H (2007) Mapping Outcomes And Settings For Looked After Children. Afternoon Seminar For Making Research Counts Programme
• McMurray. I and Connolly H (2007) Resilience Theory and Child Welfare Practice Lunch Time Seminar. Psychology Department, University of Northampton
• Connolly, H., McMurray, I (2007) Hear Me! The Findings of A Participatory Project Exploring How Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children In The UK Conceptualise Their Experiences Next To The Provisions Of The UN CRC Workshop Presentation. International Conference; The Migration of Unaccompanied Minors In Europe: The Contexts of Origin, The Migration Routes, The Reception Systems. Migrinter. Maison Des Sciences De L'Homme Et De La Societie. University of Poitiers
• McMurray, I, Connolly, H (2007) The Consequences of Poor Childhood Attachments in Adolescence. Training Seminar For Child Care Professionals. The Isle of Man Government Social Services Division

Contact Details

E: helen.connolly@beds.ac.uk