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Samantha Fitz-Symonds
LLB (Hons) LLM MSc
Teams and roles for Samantha Fitz-Symonds
Research Associate
Research Associate
Overview
I am a Research Associate working across the School of Social Sciences and the School of Medicine at Cardiff University. Within CASCADE, my research focuses on children's social care, advocacy, participatory practice, care-experienced young people and the implementation of policy guidance. My work is grounded in realist-informed and socio-legal approaches, with a particular interest in understanding how services, legal frameworks and practice models work in context.
I previously led a study as Principal Investigator examining children's advocacy in England. I am currently Co-Investigator on a Health and Care Research Wales-funded project investigating the role of Personal Advisers in supporting care-experienced young people in Wales.
Within the Centre for Trials Research, I work on research ethics, consent, and inclusion in health and social care research, with a focus on how legal, ethical, and governance frameworks shape participation.
Alongside my research, I have taught on Family Law and Contract Law modules within the Law School. I am co-editor of a book on participatory practices in children’s social care, published in January 2026, and have authored and co-authored publications on parental advocacy, children’s advocacy, and the implementation of CSE guidance.
Publication
2026
- Powell, S. et al. 2026. Evaluating “People Offering Parents Support” (POPS): A qualitative study of peer parental advocacy in Welsh child welfare services. Child Care in Practice 32 (3), pp.312-331. (10.1080/13575279.2026.2648980)
- Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. 2026. Participatory approaches in child and family social work: Creating meaningful relationships and empowering families. Policy Press. (10.51952/9781447373407)
- Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Newton, E. 2026. Children in Care Councils. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.191-205. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch010)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. and Powell, S. 2026. Digital participation and technology in social work. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.206-227. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch011)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. and Stabler, L. 2026. Advocacy for children in care. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.167-188. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch009)
- Pert, H. et al., 2026. Introduction. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Simonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.3-12. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch001)
2024
- Powell, S. et al. 2024. Understanding how and under what circumstances parental advocates support parents to participate in decision-making: a scoping review. Child Care in Practice 30 (4), pp.517-536. (10.1080/13575279.2024.2354823)
- Evans, L. et al., 2024. “They seem to listen more now I have an advocate”: a study into the implementation of parental advocacy in Wales. Journal of Children's Services 19 (2), pp.89-104. (10.1108/JCS-05-2023-0027)
2023
- Devine, R. et al., 2023. Peer parental advocacy: A narrative review of the literature. Journal of Children's Services 18 (3/4), pp.244-260. (10.1108/JCS-08-2022-0020)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. et al. 2023. Mechanisms for support: A realist evaluation of peer parental advocacy in England. The British Journal of Social Work (10.1093/bjsw/bcad200)
- Diaz, C. et al. 2023. The perceived impact of peer parental advocacy on child protection practice: a mixed-methods evaluation. Project Report.[Online].What Works for Early Intervention and Children’s Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-perceived-impact-of-peer-parental-advocacy-on-child-protection-practice_FINAL-with-cover_16-Jan.pdf.
- Fitz-Symonds, S. , Stabler, L. and Diaz, C. 2023. Understanding how advocacy services support care-experienced young people to participate in decision-making. Cardiff: What Works for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/CASCADE-Spark-advocacy-services-trial-protocol.pdf.
Articles
- Powell, S. et al. 2026. Evaluating “People Offering Parents Support” (POPS): A qualitative study of peer parental advocacy in Welsh child welfare services. Child Care in Practice 32 (3), pp.312-331. (10.1080/13575279.2026.2648980)
- Powell, S. et al. 2024. Understanding how and under what circumstances parental advocates support parents to participate in decision-making: a scoping review. Child Care in Practice 30 (4), pp.517-536. (10.1080/13575279.2024.2354823)
- Evans, L. et al., 2024. “They seem to listen more now I have an advocate”: a study into the implementation of parental advocacy in Wales. Journal of Children's Services 19 (2), pp.89-104. (10.1108/JCS-05-2023-0027)
- Devine, R. et al., 2023. Peer parental advocacy: A narrative review of the literature. Journal of Children's Services 18 (3/4), pp.244-260. (10.1108/JCS-08-2022-0020)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. et al. 2023. Mechanisms for support: A realist evaluation of peer parental advocacy in England. The British Journal of Social Work (10.1093/bjsw/bcad200)
Book sections
- Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Newton, E. 2026. Children in Care Councils. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.191-205. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch010)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. and Powell, S. 2026. Digital participation and technology in social work. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.206-227. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch011)
- Fitz-Symonds, S. and Stabler, L. 2026. Advocacy for children in care. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.167-188. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch009)
- Pert, H. et al., 2026. Introduction. In: Diaz, C. , Fitz-Simonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. Participatory Approaches in Child and Family Social Work. Policy Press. , pp.3-12. (10.51952/9781447373407.ch001)
Books
- Diaz, C. , Fitz-Symonds, S. and Fisher, T. eds. 2026. Participatory approaches in child and family social work: Creating meaningful relationships and empowering families. Policy Press. (10.51952/9781447373407)
Monographs
- Diaz, C. et al. 2023. The perceived impact of peer parental advocacy on child protection practice: a mixed-methods evaluation. Project Report.[Online].What Works for Early Intervention and Children’s Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-perceived-impact-of-peer-parental-advocacy-on-child-protection-practice_FINAL-with-cover_16-Jan.pdf.
- Fitz-Symonds, S. , Stabler, L. and Diaz, C. 2023. Understanding how advocacy services support care-experienced young people to participate in decision-making. Cardiff: What Works for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/CASCADE-Spark-advocacy-services-trial-protocol.pdf.
Research
Research Interests
My research sits at the intersection of socio-legal studies, children’s social care, health and social care research ethics, participation, consent, and inclusion. Across my work in CASCADE, in the School of Social Sciences, and the Centre for Trials Research, in the School of Medicine, I am interested in how law, policy, ethics, and professional practice shape people’s ability to participate meaningfully in decisions, services, and research.
Children’s Social Care, Advocacy and Participation
A core strand of my research focuses on children’s social care, with particular interests in children’s advocacy, parental advocacy, care-experienced young people, and participatory practice. I am especially interested in how advocacy and relational forms of support can help children, young people, and families to be heard within complex systems.
My work in this area includes research on children’s advocacy in England, parental advocacy in England and Wales, Personal Adviser support for care-experienced young people, and the implementation of child sexual exploitation guidance. This work is important to me because it explores how systems can move beyond formal participation towards meaningful involvement, voice, and influence.
Research Ethics, Consent and Inclusion
Within the Centre for Trials Research, my work on the ACCORD project focuses on research ethics, consent, and inclusion in health and social care research. I am interested in how legal, ethical, and governance frameworks affect who is included in research, how consent is understood and operationalised, and how research systems can become more accessible and inclusive.This includes a particular interest in consent, capacity, participation, and the practical implementation of ethical principles in applied research settings.
Methods and Approach
Methodologically, my work draws on qualitative, realist-informed, participatory, and socio-legal approaches. I am interested in “what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and why”, while also examining how legal and policy frameworks are interpreted, implemented, and experienced in practice.
My research uses methods including qualitative interviews, focus groups, case study approaches, participatory workshops, thematic analysis, realist-informed evaluation, and policy/legal analysis.
Current Projects and Collaborations
Current and recent projects include:
- Parental Advocacy in England and Wales: Nuffield Foundation-funded research exploring parental advocacy and its role in supporting families involved with children’s social care.
- Personal Adviser support in Wales:Health and Care Research Wales-funded research examining the role of Personal Advisers in supporting care-experienced young people.
- ACCORD programme, Centre for Trials Research: research on consent, ethics, governance, and inclusion in health and social care research.
- PhD research: a comparative socio-legal study of care-leaver transitions, welfare provision, and access to opportunity in Wales and Norway.
Publications
My book on participatory practices in children’s social care was published in January 2026. I have also authored and co-authored publications and commissioned reports on parental advocacy, children’s advocacy, child sexual exploitation guidance, and participatory practice in children’s social care.
Teaching
I have previously taught across undergraduate law and socio-legal subjects within Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics. My teaching experience includes Contract Law and Family Law, where I support students to engage with legal principles, case law, statutory frameworks, and their application in social and professional contexts.
I also contribute guest teaching on topics relating to capacity to consent, the Mental Capacity Act, and participation in health and social care contexts. This teaching draws on my research interests in consent, ethics, advocacy, participation, and the relationship between law, policy, and practice.
Biography
Research Associate, Centre for Trials Research - May 2026-Present
Research Associate, CASCADE - October 2024-Present
Research Assistant, CASCADE - December 2021-October 2024
PhD Researcher, Cardiff Law School October 2021-Present