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Dr Martin Elliott
DipSW PhD
Senior Research Fellow
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I am a Senior Research Fellow in the Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) at Cardiff University. Currently I am:
Principal Investigator for an NIHR funded study looking at registration of the residential childcare workforce.
Co-investigator on an NIHR funded study exploring mental health crisis services for children and young people up to 25 years in England and Wales.
Research Development Advisor for the Health and Care Research Wales Faculty.
My research interests include children 'looked after' by the state; young people in secure accommodation; children on the edge of care; poverty and social inequalities; services and outcomes for disabled children and young people
Publication
2024
- Elliott, M., Smith, P. and Scourfield, J. 2024. The visibility of a socio-economic dimension in day-to-day child and family social work practice in Wales. The British Journal of Social Work 54(7), pp. 3391-3409., article number: bcae098. (10.1093/bjsw/bcae098)
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Young, H., Evans, R. and Long, S. 2024. Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons. Journal of Children's Services 19(1), pp. 38-53. (10.1108/JCS-06-2022-0019)
2023
- Scourfield, J. et al. 2023. Retention in statutory social work from fast-track child and family programmes. Journal of Social Work 23(6), pp. 1022-1042. (10.1177/14680173231194432)
- Bennett, C. et al. 2023. Crisis care for children and young people with mental health problems: national mapping, models of delivery, sustainability and experience (CAMH-Crisis2). A study protocol.. NIHR Open Research 3, article number: 22. (10.3310/nihropenres.13414.1)
2022
- Allnatt, G., Elliott, M., Scourfield, J., Lee, A. and Griffiths, L. J. 2022. Use of linked administrative children’s social care data for research: a scoping review of existing UK studies. British Journal of Social Work 52(7), article number: bcac049. (10.1093/bjsw/bcac049)
- Allnatt, G., Lee, A., Scourfield, J., Elliott, M., Broadhurst, K. and Griffiths, L. 2022. Data resource profile: children looked after administrative records in Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 1(1) (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1752)
- Lee, A., Elliott, M., Scourfield, J., Bedston, S., Broadhust, K., Ford, D. V. and Griffiths, L. J. 2022. Data resource: children receiving care and support and children in need, administrative records in Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 7(1), article number: 8. (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1694)
2021
- Scourfield, J. et al. 2021. Social work fast-track programmes: Retention and progression. Final report. Project Report. [Online]. Department for Education, UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-work-fast-track-programmes-tracking-study
- Scourfield, J., Webb, C. J. R., Elliott, M., Staniland, L. and Bywaters, P. 2021. Are child welfare intervention rates higher or lower in areas targeted for enhanced early years services?. Child Abuse Review 30(4), pp. 306-317. (10.1002/car.2696)
- Webb, C., Bywaters, P., Elliott, M. and Scourfield, J. 2021. Income inequality and child welfare interventions in England and Wales. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 75, pp. 251-257. (10.1136/jech-2020-214501)
- Elliott, M. 2021. Ending child poverty in 2020 in Wales?. In: Gwilym, H. and Williams, C. eds. Social Policy for Welfare Practice in Wales. 3rd ed.. BASW, pp. 51-63.
2020
- Elliott, M. 2020. Child welfare inequalities in a time of rising numbers of children entering out-of-home care. British Journal of Social Work 50(2), pp. 581-597. (10.1093/bjsw/bcz154)
- Bywaters, P. et al. 2020. Child welfare inequalities in the four nations of the UK. Journal of Social Work 20(2), pp. 193-215. (10.1177/1468017318793479)
2019
- Roberts, L., Maxwell, N. and Elliott, M. 2019. When young people in and leaving state care become parents: What happens and why?. Children and Youth Services Review 104, pp. 104387. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104387)
- Elliott, M. 2019. Charting the rise of children and young people looked after in Wales. In: Mannay, D., Rees, A. and Roberts, L. eds. Children and Young People ‘Looked After’? Education, Intervention and the Everyday Culture of Care in Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, pp. 15-28.
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Evans, R., Young, H. and Long, S. 2019. The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders. Project Report. Cardiff: Social Care Wales.
- Elliott, M. 2019. The backgrounds of children entering public care in Wales. Self.
2018
- McCartan, C., Bunting, L., Bywaters, P., Davidson, G., Elliott, M. and Hooper, J. 2018. A four-nation comparison of kinship care in the UK: the relationship between formal kinship care and deprivation. Social Policy and Society 17(4), pp. 619-635. (10.1017/S1474746418000179)
- McGhee, J., Bunting, L., McCartan, C., Elliott, M., Bywaters, P. and Featherstone, B. 2018. Looking after children in the UK - convergence or divergence?. British Journal of Social Work 48(5), pp. 1176-1198. (10.1093/bjsw/bcx103)
- Elliott, M., Staples, E. and Scourfield, J. 2018. The characteristics of children and young people in residential care in Wales. Child Care in Practice 24(3), pp. 317-330. (10.1080/13575279.2017.1319798)
2017
- Elliott, M. 2017. Looked-after children in Wales: An analysis of the backgrounds of children entering public care. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Elliott, M. and Scourfield, J. 2017. Identifying and understanding inequalities in child welfare intervention rates. Project Report. [Online]. Child Welfare Inequalities Project. Available at: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2014/child-welfare-inequality-uk/cwip-project-outputs/
2015
- Elliott, M. 2015. Quantitative research and the secondary analysis of longitudinal data in social work research. In: Hardwick, L., Smith, R. and Worsley, A. eds. Innovations in Social Work Research. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 259-273.
Articles
- Elliott, M., Smith, P. and Scourfield, J. 2024. The visibility of a socio-economic dimension in day-to-day child and family social work practice in Wales. The British Journal of Social Work 54(7), pp. 3391-3409., article number: bcae098. (10.1093/bjsw/bcae098)
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Young, H., Evans, R. and Long, S. 2024. Secure futures? A mixed methods study on opportunities for helping young people referred to secure children's homes for welfare reasons. Journal of Children's Services 19(1), pp. 38-53. (10.1108/JCS-06-2022-0019)
- Scourfield, J. et al. 2023. Retention in statutory social work from fast-track child and family programmes. Journal of Social Work 23(6), pp. 1022-1042. (10.1177/14680173231194432)
- Bennett, C. et al. 2023. Crisis care for children and young people with mental health problems: national mapping, models of delivery, sustainability and experience (CAMH-Crisis2). A study protocol.. NIHR Open Research 3, article number: 22. (10.3310/nihropenres.13414.1)
- Allnatt, G., Elliott, M., Scourfield, J., Lee, A. and Griffiths, L. J. 2022. Use of linked administrative children’s social care data for research: a scoping review of existing UK studies. British Journal of Social Work 52(7), article number: bcac049. (10.1093/bjsw/bcac049)
- Allnatt, G., Lee, A., Scourfield, J., Elliott, M., Broadhurst, K. and Griffiths, L. 2022. Data resource profile: children looked after administrative records in Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 1(1) (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1752)
- Lee, A., Elliott, M., Scourfield, J., Bedston, S., Broadhust, K., Ford, D. V. and Griffiths, L. J. 2022. Data resource: children receiving care and support and children in need, administrative records in Wales. International Journal of Population Data Science 7(1), article number: 8. (10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1694)
- Scourfield, J., Webb, C. J. R., Elliott, M., Staniland, L. and Bywaters, P. 2021. Are child welfare intervention rates higher or lower in areas targeted for enhanced early years services?. Child Abuse Review 30(4), pp. 306-317. (10.1002/car.2696)
- Webb, C., Bywaters, P., Elliott, M. and Scourfield, J. 2021. Income inequality and child welfare interventions in England and Wales. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 75, pp. 251-257. (10.1136/jech-2020-214501)
- Elliott, M. 2020. Child welfare inequalities in a time of rising numbers of children entering out-of-home care. British Journal of Social Work 50(2), pp. 581-597. (10.1093/bjsw/bcz154)
- Bywaters, P. et al. 2020. Child welfare inequalities in the four nations of the UK. Journal of Social Work 20(2), pp. 193-215. (10.1177/1468017318793479)
- Roberts, L., Maxwell, N. and Elliott, M. 2019. When young people in and leaving state care become parents: What happens and why?. Children and Youth Services Review 104, pp. 104387. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104387)
- McCartan, C., Bunting, L., Bywaters, P., Davidson, G., Elliott, M. and Hooper, J. 2018. A four-nation comparison of kinship care in the UK: the relationship between formal kinship care and deprivation. Social Policy and Society 17(4), pp. 619-635. (10.1017/S1474746418000179)
- McGhee, J., Bunting, L., McCartan, C., Elliott, M., Bywaters, P. and Featherstone, B. 2018. Looking after children in the UK - convergence or divergence?. British Journal of Social Work 48(5), pp. 1176-1198. (10.1093/bjsw/bcx103)
- Elliott, M., Staples, E. and Scourfield, J. 2018. The characteristics of children and young people in residential care in Wales. Child Care in Practice 24(3), pp. 317-330. (10.1080/13575279.2017.1319798)
Book sections
- Elliott, M. 2021. Ending child poverty in 2020 in Wales?. In: Gwilym, H. and Williams, C. eds. Social Policy for Welfare Practice in Wales. 3rd ed.. BASW, pp. 51-63.
- Elliott, M. 2019. Charting the rise of children and young people looked after in Wales. In: Mannay, D., Rees, A. and Roberts, L. eds. Children and Young People ‘Looked After’? Education, Intervention and the Everyday Culture of Care in Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, pp. 15-28.
- Elliott, M. 2015. Quantitative research and the secondary analysis of longitudinal data in social work research. In: Hardwick, L., Smith, R. and Worsley, A. eds. Innovations in Social Work Research. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 259-273.
Monographs
- Scourfield, J. et al. 2021. Social work fast-track programmes: Retention and progression. Final report. Project Report. [Online]. Department for Education, UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-work-fast-track-programmes-tracking-study
- Williams, A., Bayfield, H., Elliott, M., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Evans, R., Young, H. and Long, S. 2019. The experiences and outcomes of children and young people from Wales receiving Secure Accommodation Orders. Project Report. Cardiff: Social Care Wales.
- Elliott, M. 2019. The backgrounds of children entering public care in Wales. Self.
- Elliott, M. and Scourfield, J. 2017. Identifying and understanding inequalities in child welfare intervention rates. Project Report. [Online]. Child Welfare Inequalities Project. Available at: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2014/child-welfare-inequality-uk/cwip-project-outputs/
Thesis
- Elliott, M. 2017. Looked-after children in Wales: An analysis of the backgrounds of children entering public care. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Elliott, M. 2017. Looked-after children in Wales: An analysis of the backgrounds of children entering public care. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
External Funding
2023 Zhang, ML. (PI), Elliott, M., Griffith, G. An evaluability assessment of Sure Start (Northern Ireland) and Flying Start using administrative data and naturally occurring experiments
2022 - 2025. Hannigan, B.(co-PI), Bennett, C. (Co-PI), Jones, A., Elliott, M., Pryjmachuk, S., Evans, N., Elliott, M., Fraser, C., Hails, E. and McMillan, I. CAMH-Crisis2: Crisis Care for Children and Young People with Mental Health Problems: National Mapping, Models of Delivery, Sustainability and Experience. (NIHR, £811,060)
2022 - 2024. Elliott, M. (PI), Rees, A., Manthorpe, G., Baginsky, M., Robling, M., Playle, R. The impact of regulation and registration on the residential child care workforce: comparing England and Wales (National Institute for Health and Care Research £496,507)
2020 - 2023. Forrester, D.(PI) and Elliott, M. Research capacity building programme (Health and Care Research Wales £137,602). A programme of activities that will increase social care research capacity in Wales focused on three key stages that take a practitioner through PhD study, post-doctoral research/first academic appointment, and then research leadership. The program is intended to support and develop more: 1. High quality PhD applications 2. Successful applications for first grants 3. Future research leaders (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6NCiYC9p38).
2018 - 2020. Elliott, M.(PI), Scourfield, J. and Morris, K. Child Welfare Inequalities in Wales: practice and prevention. (Health and Care Research Wales, £208,961) The main objective of this study is to examine and describe the relationship between poverty and social inequality, social work practice and decision-making, and child welfare interventions, such as children becoming ‘looked after’ or placed on the child protection register.
2018 - 2019. Williams, A. (PI), Elliott, M., Evans, R., Lyttleton-Smith, J., Young, H. and Long, S. Young people in secure accommodation in Wales (Social Care Wales, £100,000) this project explored the experiences of young people from Wales who have spent time in Secure Children's Homes on welfare grounds. This qualitative project worked with some of the most vulnerable young people in Wales, and identified a number of areas where policy change is required to ensure that we are effectively supporting young people at high levels of risk
2018. Elliott, M. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) one year post doctoral research fellowship (£93,303) This one year fellowship was based around my doctoral thesis '“Looked-after” children in Wales: An analysis of the backgrounds of children entering public care'.
2018. J. Lyttleton-Smith (PI), Scourfield, J. and Elliott, M. Supporting the improvement agenda within Children's Services in Wales. (Social Care Wales, £15,558)
2015. Elliott, M (PI), Scourfield, J. and Staples, E. Analysis of data on children in residential care in Wales (Care Council for Wales, £7,400) Using routinely collected administrative data from the children looked after census, this research explored the characteristics of children and young people entering care in residential settings in Wales.
Internal Funding
2017. Cardiff University Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (CUROP) Child Welfare Inequalities: The effect of Flying Start programmes on intervention rates (£1600)
Teaching
- Lectures and workshops on various topics including poverty and inequalities, and social work with disabled children and their families
Biography
I am ex-social worker with 17-years statutory children’s services experience including, front line management and practice; contracting and commissioning; and strategic development work. I started my academic career as a quantitative researcher, doing a PhD based on analysis of routinely collected administrative data and the Welsh analysis for the four nation Child Welfare Inequalties Project (https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/research-directories/current-projects/2014/child-welfare-inequality-uk/). I have now moved towards doing more mixed methods research.
Education and Qualifications
1997 Diploma in Social Work
1998 BA(Hons) Community Studies (Social Work)
2013 MSc Social Science Research Methods
2018 PhD
Honours and awards
Outstanding publication from a doctoral thesis award, European Social Work Research Association (ESWRA). 2020.
BASW Kay McDougall British Journal of Social Work prize. 2021.
Committees and reviewing
Associate Editor - Children and Youth Services Review
Journal reviewer - British Journal of Social Work
Journal reviewer - Child Care in Practice
Journal reviewer - Children and Youth Services Review
Journal reviewer - Journal of Children's Services
Journal reviewer - Residential Treatment for Children and Youth
Supervisions
Current supervision
Angela Endicott
Research student
Contact Details
+44 29208 76326
sbarc|spark, Room 03.14, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Research themes
Specialisms
- Social work