Ms Jenny Blackmore

Research

Main research interests

My broad research interest is in improving outcomes for vulnerable children and their families.

Current research

The focus of my PhD is on improving placement stability for children placed with adoptive parents, particularly in the early stages of placement (pre-Adoption Order).

I am interested in the processes, theories, values and mechanisms underpinning the ways in which children and their adoptive families are linked and then matched. I am also interested in the role of foster carers in preparing a child for their adoptive placement, and in children's transitions from foster care to adoption. I hope to look at the level of children's contact with significant others (e.g.    their previous foster carers) post-adoption to try and establish any relationship with the stability of their adoptive placement.

My research draws upon data from the Wales Adoption Cohort study, led by my supervisor Dr Katherine Shelton. I will also be collecting new data across Wales from families and professionals involved in adoptive children's lives.    I hope to continue to develop the strong links established by Dr Shelton with the adoption sector in Wales, to ensure the relevance and application of my research.

Other research interests and areas of experience

These include the following:

• Birth families' experiences of social care involvement
• Social worker decision-making processes
• Adoption support
• Foster care
• Children re-unified with birth families
• Children on the edge of care
• Including the voice of the child in research
• Fostering and social pedagogy

Previous employment history

I was employed by a Local Authority as an Independent Reviewing Officer for foster carers for 9 years. I also have about 20 years of experience as a freelance researcher, working mainly in the areas of research outlined above.  

I have a particular interest in including birth families, foster carers, adopters, children, young people, care leavers and social care, education and health professionals in research, and have experience of undertaking extensive fieldwork with these groups as research participants, including employing creative methods, particularly with children.

I am a qualified art teacher.