I have an interdisciplinary background in Anthropology, Sociology and Development Studies, completing my studies at Durham University and the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.
As an anti-colonial scholar and advocate, my research background has focused on decolonisation, Indigenous rights, and well-being – particularly in context with Māori and First Nations peoples in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and (what is currently referred to as) Canada. I am interested in challenging and responding to the social conditions in which harm occurs – namely systemic and structural inequities that result from ongoing colonial legacies. To that end, I am interested in transformative and contextual approaches to social justice – working towards ways we can disrupt, dismantle and rebuild these systems.
I have been with the Contextual Safeguarding Programme since September 2019, working on a variety of projects with statutory child protection services, schools, the VCS and youth justice. All of which aimed to understand and support the individual, contextual, structural and legal scaffolds required to ethically implement and sustain a Contextual Safeguarding approach.
I’m currently undertaking my PhD fieldwork in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Bringing together my research background and work with Contextual Safeguarding, my PhD seeks to understand the colonial nature of the child protection system (i.e. British welfare design); and what ‘decolonising’ child protection can and should look like by learning from a Māori health and well-being organisation currently transforming this space. This is a participatory action research project guided by kaupapa Māori philosophies, and I look forward to sharing these learnings.