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Assistant Professor in Clinical Child & Family Studies

What is your research about?

I conduct research on family relationships and the psychosocial well-being of children, especially after parental separation or divorce. Someone recently referred to these children as "a large but often forgotten group", which really highlights the importance of our research.

Life can be challenging for children when parents have separated or divorced and this can put them at greater risk of various problems as a result. We hope that our research on these young people – and especially with them and their parents and professionals – will help improve their lives.

For example, in the , we are studying whether and how young people have a say in decisions (big and small), how this happens – at home, via a mediator or in court – and how they and their parents experience this. Which benefits are there to young people having a say? Are there any disadvantages? If so, for who or in which situation? This project is enabling us to gain a better understanding of the best way to listen to children after a divorce or separation without overburdening them. In another project, (‘Does help with divorce work?’), we are studying the effectiveness of help with divorce. The object of this research is to gain a better understanding of what works for parents and children in complex divorce and separation situations so that further improvements can be achieved in the care provided.

Collaboration with other researchers, practitioners and courts, etc. is essential here and also makes these projects incredibly interesting and diverse. Unfortunately, our research is often unable to keep pace with demand from the field or society; they would prefer not to wait so long for the outcomes of our research. This highlights the importance of our research and the current need to fill knowledge gaps.

How long have you been working at FSBS?

I joined FSBS as a student assistant in the Educational Therapy: Psychosocial Problems research group back in 2011; I was studying Pedagogical Sciences at the university at the time. Coincidentally, it is also where I obtained my doctorate in 2022 and now work as an assistant professor. I have thus been part of the same research group since starting my Bachelor’s programme at ÀÖÓãºǫ́.

What do you like about working at FSBS/ÀÖÓãºǫ́?

To be honest, I haven’t worked at any other universities or faculties. But FSBS feels a little like home to me now. I have a lot of autonomy in the research I want to conduct, who I want to work with and also in the kind of teaching that is right for me. I find this autonomy very important as it keeps me motivated and inspired. Especially in these uncertain times – with budget cuts looming – but also because it can sometimes be a challenge to achieve a healthy work/family-life balance.

The opportunity to work with colleagues from other departments really energises me as well. For example, the with family-law researchers from the Faculty of Law Economics, Governance and Organisation. FSBS encourages collaborations like this and I feel that team sciences is gaining prominence here too. My experience of team science has been entirely positive so far; it has greatly enriched my work at the university.

How does the faculty contribute to your research?

I have always found FSBS to be really supportive. Whether I have an IT-related problem, ethical issues, need help with scheduling teaching, data management, academic communication or open science, there are always colleagues on hand – each with their own areas of expertise – who are happy to help. The same goes for colleagues in the library or the AV team. Their help is invaluable to the work I do.