I am a researcher at Cardiff University. My main area of research is around children in care. I am particularly interested in how kinship families – families where a child lives with a relative or friend other than their parents – can be supported to help children stay within their family network.

My Fellowship was aimed at exploring countries that have recently introduced policies to support kinship carers. In the UK, there is still no policy that ensures that kinship families receive support, unless they are involved with Children's Services. As someone who was a kinship carer myself, and grew up in care, I am passionate about the need to do more to help families stay together, and the role of policy in achieving this.

So far, I have travelled to Japan and India, and plan to travel to Cambodia. Through the Fellowship, so far I have spoken with social workers and social work managers, academics and voluntary organisations in the UK about improving and standardising support for kinship care. I hope to continue to champion the role of kinship carers going forward.