I am the Policy and Communications Officer at the charity One Small Thing, which aims to redesign the way the justice system responds to women and their children. A key part of my role is to influence policymakers and contribute to conversations that can shape culture change across the justice system, with the aim of ultimately creating positive change for women caught in the justice system.

My Fellowship is focusing on women's experiences of the justice system in Canada, Germany and Finland, and finding out how those in these countries deliver and advocate for community-based justice solutions for women. This research will touch on experiences of trauma, abuse, homelessness, substance use, mental health and more, and will see me exploring different sentencing practices, innovative initiatives run by third sector organisations and powerful policy work taking place that is advocating for fewer women in custody. Keeping lived experience at the centre of my research is fundamental.

With the justice system in England and Wales in crisis, there is an urgent need to reimagine what 'justice' can look like for women, beyond simply locking them up.