Personal statement

I joined the Law School as Lecturer in Scots Private Law in January 2023.  My research interests are within Scots Family law, specifically the children’s hearings system and child protection in both familial and non-familial settings.  I consider these areas in the context of the legal rights of children and adults.  My PhD, which I undertook on a part-time basis and was awarded with no corrections in 2022, considered the evolutionary nature of legal rights within the children’s hearings system from the creation of the system in the 1960s to the present day.   

Before joining the Law School, I was the Head of Wellbeing and Protection for the Scottish Football Association for 5 years.  In this role I worked with children and adults on protection issues across Scottish football.  I led the implementation of the recommendations made by Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, including the creation of a Wellbeing and Protection Department within the Scottish FA and development of the first Child Wellbeing and Protection Strategy for Scottish football. I was the only national association member of FIFA’s Safeguarding Expert Group, which designed and advised on the implementation of the FIFA Guardians programme for safeguarding children in world football. 

Prior to my role at the Scottish FA I held a number of research, practice and policy related roles in the children’s hearings system for both the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration and Children’s Hearings Scotland.  As part of the establishment of Children’s Hearings Scotland in 2013 I authored the first Practice and Procedure Manual for children’s panel members following the enactment of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 and worked with partners across the hearings system on the interpretation and implementation of the Act.  I worked subsequently with colleagues in Scottish Government on amendments to that Act through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.