I qualified as a Social Worker in 2002 and my practice experience was predominantly within services for children and families. Initially I worked as a Local Authority Social Worker and Senior Practitioner in Essex. I later spent nine years working for the NSPCC where I specialised in the assessment and therapeutic treatment of children and young people affected by sexual abuse (both victims and perpetrators). For several years I also worked part-time with two private fostering agencies as a therapeutic social worker, whilst continuing in my role part-time with the NSPCC.

My research interests broadly relate to social work with children and young people, and qualitative research methodologies, including narrative, psychosocial, creative and participatory methods. My doctoral research was a longitudinal study focusing on the way that young people construct a narrative identity during therapeutic treatment interventions for harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), as well as the intersubjective experience of practitioners who work with them.

I currently teach across all of our qualifying Social Work programmes and lead on several units covering Social Work theories and approaches, Evidence-informed practice, and Research skills.

I am also the course coordinator for the MSc Social Work programme.

Qualifications

Academic

• DSW (Doctor of Social Work) – University of Sussex (2018)
• MA Advanced Social Work Practice & Planning – University of East Anglia (2008)
• BSc Animal Science (Wildlife Biology) – Newcastle University (1999)

Professional

• Practice Teaching Award – University of East Anglia (2007)
• Post Qualifying Award in Social Work (PQSW/Child Care Award) – University of East Anglia (2005)
• Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) – Anglia Polytechnic University (2002)

Teaching Expertise

• Social work theories and interventions
• Evidence-informed practice
• Direct work with children and young people
• Young people who display harmful sexual behaviour
• Research methods

Research Interests

• Children and young people
• Young people and harmful sexual behaviour (HSB)
• HSB treatment practices, therapeutic social work interventions
• Qualitative research methods, including narrative, psychosocial, creative and participatory research approaches

Projects

• Co-researcher on a research project funded by The Pilgrim Trust exploring professional responses and interventions with young people who display harmful sexual behaviour.

Publications

• (In progress) Telling the Truth? Exploring notions of self and responsibility with young people involved in treatment for harmful sexual behaviour (Working title)

Conference presentations

• (2018) Telling the Truth? Exploring notions of self and responsibility with young people involved in treatment for harmful sexual behaviour Research Seminar: Narrative sense-making and prospective social action, VIVE Danish Center of Applied Social Science, Copenhagen

Contact Details

T: +44 (0)1582 489273

E: matthew.ellis@beds.ac.uk