Kimberley Jones

(she/her)

BSc (Cardiff), MSc (Cardiff)

Research

Thesis

Locked In: Exploring children's and young people's experiences of COVID-19 and the UK lockdowns. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and following UK lockdowns affected the UK population physically, financially, and psychologically, with varying levels of severity (Luijten et al., 2021). This PhD project focuses specifically on the experiences of children and young people aged 11-15, employing creative methods to map out their emotional journeys throughout the pandemic.

This project involved six consecutive workshops, each focusing on different themes and using creative methods such as drawing, collaging, fiction writing, and LEGO. Participants could choose which method they wished to use to express their feelings and experiences during each workshop. The use of different methods highlighted various aspects of their experiences and, when explored holistically, helped merge a complex, interconnected web of their overall experience. The main ethical concern for this project was the power dynamics between participants and the researcher, leading to the creation of a ‘toolbox’ for fostering ethical researcher-participant relationships.

Although findings are still emerging, current results show differing experiences related to school, relationships with family members and friends, as well as conflicting emotions over the lockdown period, ranging from boredom to relief, sadness, and excitement. The implications of this project include contributing to the existing knowledge surrounding children and childhoods during crises, as well as emphasizing that some children and young people may need more support post-pandemic.

Funding sources

Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Wales Graduate School of Social Science. 

Teaching

 Postgraduate Tutor 2022-2024: Taught on the following modules:

• Key Ideas in Social Science
• Introduction to Sociology
• Becoming a Social Scientist

Biography

Honours and awards

• MSc Social Science Research Methods (Sociology). Cardiff University.
• BSc Sociology (Honours). Cardiff University. 

Supervisors

Victoria Timperley

Lecturer, Education

Kate Moles

Academic