Research Fellow

I am an early career researcher with an interest in applied social research.

I am a member of the Contextual Safeguarding team and with the team I work across two projects: the Beyond Referrals project, which aims to explore the enablers and barriers to addressing harmful sexual behaviour in schools and to support both local authority partnerships and schools to develop effective approaches grounded within a Contextual Safeguarding framework to address this issue, and; the Contextual Safeguarding Scale Up Programme, which aims to embed a contextual safeguarding approach to adolescents experiencing extra-familial forms of abuse across five local authority partnerships.

I joined the University of Bedfordshire in August 2015 and have worked across a range of projects with the Safer Young Lives Research Centre including the production of child sexual exploitation (CSE) guidance, using evidence to improve criminal justice responses to CSE and using creative and meaningful participatory research to explore young people’s perspectives on how we can support healthy child development after sexual abuse.

Prior to joining the University, I spent three years working for a number of charity and statutory organisations monitoring, analysing and evaluating research, policy and practice pertaining to child sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and domestic violence. As Research and Policy Officer with the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland I developed specific knowledge and expertise relating to child protection and safeguarding systems.

Qualifications

• MA History - Newcastle University
• BA (Hons) History - Newcastle University

Teaching Role

• Undergraduate and Master’s supervision
• Part of teaching team for the short-course and Masters module on Child Sexual Exploitation and Contextual Safeguarding.

Research Interests

• Child sexual exploitation, sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour
• Extra-familial harm
• Contextual Safeguarding
• Mental health issues
• Gender

Recent Publications

• Lloyd, J., Walker, J. and Firmin, C. (2020) Keeping children safe? Advancing social care assessments to address harmful sexual behaviour in schools. Child & Family Social Work.
• Walker, J. (2020) Tough girls: gender performance and safety within schools. Children’s Geographies. doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2020.1718606
• Firmin, C., Lloyd, J. and Walker, J. (2019) Beyond referrals: levers for addressing harmful sexual behaviours between students at school in England, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, DOI: 10.1080/09518398.2019.1659442
• Beckett, H. Holmes, D. and Walker, J. (2017) Tackling child sexual exploitation: Advice for Professionals: Extended text.
• Walker, J. and Beckett, H. (2017) Child sexual exploitation: How public health can support prevention and intervention. London: PHE.
• Beckett, H., Walker, J. and Allnock, D. (2016) CSE: Perpetration, disruption and prosecution briefing. Community Care Online.
• Beckett, H. and Walker, J. (2016) Child Sexual Exploitation Definition and Practitioner Briefing Paper. Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Contact Details

E: joanne.walker@beds.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)7803576318