![Sally Holland](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/8679?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Professor Sally Holland
(she/her)
- Welsh speaking
Teams and roles for Sally Holland
Professor CASCADE Research Centre
Overview
I am a Professor of Social Work. I work part-time in the university, Tuesdays to Thursdays. My research interests include child and family social work, children’s rights and child, youth, parents and carers’ involvement in both research and policy-making. My research centre is CASCADE Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre where I lead on staff wellbeing and development.
From 2015 to 2022 I was Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
I am currently leading the evaluation of the Welsh Government's Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers, alongside my colleagues David Westlake and Dr Louise Roberts.
I am also part of research teams evaluating The impact of Sure Start on health and social care – CASCADE, the impact of Flying Start in Wales, and a Horizon Europe-funded study on services for children who experienced maltreatment, focusing in particular on Wales, France, and Denmark (SERENA)
I teach on the MA Social Work programme and supervise Master’s dissertations and PhDs.
Current external roles are:
1. Visiting Professor at the School of Social Work, Lund University, Sweden.
2. Independent Chair of Cyngor Gwynedd’s Programme Board for the Crime Response Plan related to a serious child abuse case.
Recent external roles include:
Member of the Welsh Government’s Innovating Democracy Advisory Group.
Independent Chair of the Welsh Government’s Maternity and Neonatal Oversight Panel.
Publication
2026
- Roberts, L. et al. 2026. “I feel like my future is in my control”: Exploring young people’s early experiences of the basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot through the lens of self-determination theory. Children and Youth Services Review 188 109111. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.109111)
- Holland, S. et al. 2026. The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales Pilot: Perceptions of deservingness amongst recipients and professionals. Journal of Social Policy (10.1017/S0047279426101524)
- Heilmann, A. et al., 2026. Physical punishment of children: ineffective and harmful [Editorial]. BMJ 394 e100233. (10.1136/bmj-2026-100233)
- McAuley, C. et al. 2026. Understanding the subjective well-being of 10-and-11-year old foster children in Wales: relationships and their interconnectedness with places, possessions and activities. Child Indicators Research (10.1007/s12187-026-10381-8)
- Havlicek, J. , Holland, S. and Taussig, H. 2026. Navigating relationships with birth family after aging out of foster care: experiences of young people. Families in Society 107 (2), pp.400-419. (10.1177/10443894241303193)
- Bezeczky, Z. et al. 2026. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: third annual report, 2025 to 2026. Project Report.[Online].Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-annual-report-2025-2026.
- Roberts, L. et al. 2026. Innovative and ambitious or unrealistic and risky? Initial professional perspectives on the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot. The British Journal of Social Work 56 (1), pp.26-45. (10.1093/bjsw/bcaf124)
2025
- Janes, E. et al. 2025. Adoptive parents' experiences of birth parent contact in the years after placement. Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science 74 (5), pp.2487-2506. (10.1111/fare.70032)
- Holland, S. , Taussig, H. and Havlicek, J. 2025. Hurt, loss, joy, and forgiveness: Foster care–experienced young adults' relationships with their birth parents. Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science 74 (4), pp.2000-2016. (10.1111/fare.13184)
- Holland, S. et al. 2025. Critical reflections on public involvement in research: involving involuntary recipients of social services to improve research quality. The British Journal of Social Work 55 (5), pp.2500-2518. bcaf058. (10.1093/bjsw/bcaf058)
- Sanders, M. et al., 2025. Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: statistical analysis plan. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff: Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-statistical-analysis-plan.
- Mathur, V. et al. 2025. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: second annual report, 2024 to 2025. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2025-03/basic-income-for-care-leavers-in-wales-pilot-evaluation-second-annual-report-2024-to-2025_0.pdf.
2024
- Westlake, D. et al. 2024. The basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: Protocol of a quasi-experimental evaluation. PLoS ONE 19 (10) e0303837. (10.1371/journal.pone.0303837)
- Ablitt, J. , Jimenez Lugo, P. and Holland, S. 2024. Eliminating profit from children’s residential and foster care: evidence review. Technical Report.
- Holland, S. et al. 2024. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: annual report, 2023 to 2024.
2023
- Holland, S. 2023. Removing the “Reasonable Punishment” defence in Wales. Canadian Journal of Children's Rights / Revue canadienne des droits des enfants 10 (1), pp.142-163. (10.22215/cjcr.v10i1.4277)
- Bailey, G. A. et al., 2023. Immunisation status of children receiving care and support in Wales: a national data linkage study. Frontiers in Public Health 11 1231264. (10.3389/fpubh.2023.1231264)
2022
- Holland, S. 2022. Social work: A relationship-based profession. In: Cree, V. E. ed. Becoming a Social Worker. 3rd ed.. Routledge. , pp.93-98.
2019
- Barrance, R. and Holland, S. 2019. How well is Wales monitoring its fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child? A view from Dr Rhian Barrance and Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales. [Online].Cardiff: Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods. Available at: https://wiserd.ac.uk/news/how-well-wales-monitoring-its-fulfilment-convention-rights-child-view-dr-rhian-barrance-and.
2017
- Karen, W. et al., 2017. Exploring communication between social workers, children and young people. British Journal of Social Work 47 (5), pp.1427-1444. (10.1093/bjsw/bcw083)
2016
- Roberts, L. et al. 2016. Improving well-being and outcomes for looked after children in Wales: A context sensitive review of interventions. Adoption and Fostering 40 (4), pp.309-324. (10.1177/0308575916675563)
- Anthony, R. et al. 2016. Factors affecting adoption in Wales: Predictors of variation in time between entry to care and adoptive placement. Children and Youth Services Review 60 , pp.184-190. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.010)
- Forrester, D. et al. 2016. Helping families where parents misuse drugs or alcohol? A mixed methods comparative evaluation of an intensive family preservation service. Child and Family Social Work 21 (1), pp.65-75. (10.1111/cfs.12111)
2015
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2015. Social work: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2014
- Holland, S. , Williams, A. and Forrester, D. 2014. Navigating ethical moments when researching substance misuse with parents and their children. Qualitative Research 14 (4), pp.411-427. (10.1177/1468794112473495)
- O'Connor, L. et al., 2014. Perspectives on children's experiences in families with parental substance misuse and child protection interventions. Children and Youth Services Review 38 , pp.66-74. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.01.008)
- Williams, A. et al. 2014. The development of a designated dental pathway for looked after children. British Dental Journal 216 (3), pp.E6. (10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.51)
- Shaw, I. and Holland, S. 2014. Doing qualitative research in social work. SAGE Publications.
2013
- Holland, S. 2013. Trust in the community: understanding the relationship between formal, semi-formal and informal child safeguarding in a local neighbourhood. British Journal of Social Work n/a (10.1093/bjsw/bcs118)
- Holland, S. et al. 2013. Parenting and substance misuse: understanding accounts and realities in child protection contexts. British Journal of Social Work n/a (10.1093/bjsw/bcs197)
- Holland, S. and Crowley, A. 2013. Looked-after children and their birth families: using sociology to explore changing relationships, hidden histories and nomadic childhoods. Child & Family Social Work 18 (1), pp.57-66. (10.1111/cfs.12032)
2012
- Rees, A. , Holland, S. and Pithouse, A. J. 2012. Food in foster families: care, communication and conflict. Children & Society 26 (2), pp.100-111. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2010.00332.x)
- Baynes, P. and Holland, S. 2012. Social work with violent men: a child protection file study in an English local authority. Child Abuse Review 21 (1), pp.53-65. (10.1002/car.1159)
- Evans, R. E. and Holland, S. 2012. Community parenting and the informal safeguarding of children at neighbourhood level. Families, Relationships and Societies 1 (2), pp.173-190. (10.1332/204674312X645501)
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2012. Engaging fathers in child welfare services: A narrative review of recent research evidence. Child and Family Social Work 17 (2), pp.160-169. (10.1111/j.1365-2206.2012.00827.x)
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2012. The benefits and challenges of training child protection social workers in father engagement. Child Abuse Review 21 (4), pp.299-310. (10.1002/car.2218)
2011
- Holland, S. 2011. Child and family assessment in social work practice. London: Sage.
- Holland, S. and O'Neill, S. 2011. 'We had to be there to make sure it was what we wanted': Enabling children's participation in family decision-making through the family group conference. In: Coffey, A. J. and Hall, T. A. eds. Researching Young People. Vol. 2, Fundamentals of Applied Research London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd. , pp.219-240.
- Holland, S. , Tannock, S. and Collicott, H. E. 2011. Everybody's business? A research review of the informal safeguarding of other people's children in the UK. Children & Society 25 (5), pp.406-416. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00389.x)
- Renold, E. et al. 2011. 'Becoming participant': problematising 'informed consent' in participatory research with young people in care. In: Atkinson, P. A. and Delamont, K. S. eds. SAGE Qualitative Research Methods. Vol. 4, London: Sage. , pp.55-74.
- Ross, N. et al., 2011. Meaningful meanderings: using mobile methods to research young people’s everyday lives. In: Heath, S. and Walker, C. eds. Innovations in youth research. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.37-57.
- Ross, N. J. et al. 2011. Moving stories: using mobile methods to explore the everyday lives of young people in public care. In: Coffey, A. J. and Hall, T. A. eds. Researching Young People. Vol. 1, Fundamentals of Applied Research London: Sage. , pp.123-140.
2010
- Byrne, E. , Holland, S. and Jerzembek, G. S. 2010. A pilot study on the impact of a home-based parenting intervention: Parents Plus. Childcare in Practice 16 (2), pp.111-127. (10.1080/13575270903563325)
- Holland, S. et al. 2010. Understanding neighbourhoods, communities and environments: new approaches for social work research. British Journal of Social Work 41 (4), pp.689-707. (10.1093/bjsw/bcq123)
- Holland, S. et al. 2010. Power, agency and participatory agendas: A critical exploration of young people's engagement in participative qualitative research. Childhood 17 (3), pp.360-375. (10.1177/0907568210369310)
- Thomas, J. R. and Holland, S. 2010. Representing children's identities in core assessments. British Journal of Social Work 40 (8), pp.2617-2633. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp154)
2009
- Drakeford, M. et al. 2009. Welsh children’s views on government and participation. Childhood 16 (2), pp.247-264. (10.1177/0907568209104404)
- Holland, S. 2009. Assessment in Social Work, 3rd edn, Judith Milner and Patrick O'Byrne [Book Review]. British Journal of Social Work 39 (7), pp.1412-1413. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp111)
- Holland, S. 2009. Engaging children and their parents in the assessment process. In: Horwath, J. ed. The child's World: the Comprehensive Guide to Assessing Children in Need, 2nd ed.. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. , pp.110-123.
- Holland, S. 2009. Kids today. Agenda: The Journal of the Institute of Welsh Affairs (Spring), pp.54-55.
- Holland, S. 2009. Listening to children in care: A review of methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding looked after children's perspectives. Children & Society 23 (3), pp.226-235. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00213.x)
- Holland, S. 2009. Looked after children and the ethic of care. British Journal of Social Work 40 (6), pp.1664-1680. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp086)
- Holland, S. A. L. 2009. Diverse childhoods, participation and democracy: some reasons to be cheerful. In: Osmond, J. and Morris, N. eds. What Are We Doing To Our Kids?. Cardiff, UK: Institute of Welsh Affairs/ BBC Cymru Wales. , pp.64-66.
- Ross, N. J. et al. 2009. Moving stories: using mobile methods to explore the everyday lives of young people in public care. Qualitative Research 9 (5), pp.605-623. (10.1177/1468794109343629)
- Willis, R. and Holland, S. A. L. 2009. Life story work: Reflections on the experience by looked after young people. Adoption and Fostering 33 (4), pp.44-52.
2008
- Holland, S. et al. 2008. Rights, ‘right on’ or the right thing to do? A critical exploration of young people's engagement in participative social work research. Working paper. ERSC National Centre for Reseacrh Methods. Available at: http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/460/1/0708%2520critical%2520exploration.pdf.
- Holland, S. et al. 2008. The everyday lives of children in care: using a sociological perspective to inform social work practice. In: Luckock, B. and Lefevre, M. eds. Direct work: social work with children and young people in care. London: British Association for Adoption & Fostering. , pp.77-94.
- Holland, S. and Rivett, M. 2008. 'Everyone started shouting': making connections between the process of family group conferences and family therapy practice. British Journal of Social Work 38 (1), pp.21-38. (10.1093/bjsw/bcl064)
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2008. Managing marginalised masculinities: men and probation. In: Tomsen, S. ed. Crime, criminal justice and masculinities. International Library of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Penology - Second series Aldershot: Ashgate. , pp.427-440.
- Renold, E. et al. 2008. 'Becoming participant': problematizing 'informed consent' in participatory research with young people in care. Qualitative Social Work 7 (4), pp.427-447. (10.1177/1473325008097139)
- Ross, N. et al., 2008. The multi-sensory experiences of mobile research encounters. Presented at: NCRM Research Methods Festival 2008 St Catherine's College, Oxford 30 June - 3 July 2008.
- Scourfield, J. B. , Holland, S. and Young, C. 2008. Social work in Wales since democratic devolution. Australian Social Work 61 (1), pp.42-56. (10.1080/03124070701818724)
- Wiles, R. et al., 2008. Visual ethics: ethical issues in visual research. Working paper. National Centre for Research Methods,. Available at: http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/421/1/MethodsReviewPaperNCRM-011.pdf.
2006
- Scourfield, J. B. et al. 2006. The significance of place in middle childhood: qualitative research from Wales. British Journal of Sociology 57 (4), pp.577-595. (10.1111/j.1468-4446.2006.00126.x)
- Holland, S. and O'Neill, S. 2006. ‘We had to be there to make sure it was what we wanted’: enabling children’s participation in family decision-making through the family group conference. Childhood: A Journal of Global Child Research 13 (1), pp.91-111. (10.1177/0907568206059975)
2005
- Holland, S. , Faulkner, A. and Perez-del-Aguila, V. R. 2005. Promoting stability and continuity of care for looked after children: a survey and critical review. Child & Family Social Work 10 (1), pp.29-41. (10.1111/j.1365-2206.2004.00339.x)
- Holland, S. et al. 2005. Democratising the family and the state? The case of family group conferences in child welfare. Journal of Social Policy 34 (1), pp.59-78. (10.1017/S0047279404008268)
2004
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2004. Liberty and respect in child protection. British Journal of Social Work 34 (1), pp.21-36. (10.1093/bjsw/bch003)
- Holland, S. 2004. Child and family assessment in social work practice. London: Sage.
2001
- Holland, S. 2001. Representing children in child protection assessments. Childhood: A Journal of Global Child Research 8 (3), pp.322-339. (10.1177/0907568201008003002)
2000
- Holland, S. 2000. The assessment relationship: interactions between social workers and parents in child protection assessments. The British Journal of Social Work 30 (2), pp.149–163. (10.1093/bjsw/30.2.149)
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2000. Managing marginalised masculinities: men and probation. Journal of Gender Studies 9 (2), pp.199-211. (10.1080/713677981)
1999
- Pithouse, A. and Holland, S. 1999. Family support and the early years centre: a case study of parent views. Child Care in Practice 5 (2), pp.140-150. (10.1080/13575279908413166)
Articles
- Roberts, L. et al. 2026. “I feel like my future is in my control”: Exploring young people’s early experiences of the basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot through the lens of self-determination theory. Children and Youth Services Review 188 109111. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2026.109111)
- Holland, S. et al. 2026. The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales Pilot: Perceptions of deservingness amongst recipients and professionals. Journal of Social Policy (10.1017/S0047279426101524)
- Heilmann, A. et al., 2026. Physical punishment of children: ineffective and harmful [Editorial]. BMJ 394 e100233. (10.1136/bmj-2026-100233)
- McAuley, C. et al. 2026. Understanding the subjective well-being of 10-and-11-year old foster children in Wales: relationships and their interconnectedness with places, possessions and activities. Child Indicators Research (10.1007/s12187-026-10381-8)
- Havlicek, J. , Holland, S. and Taussig, H. 2026. Navigating relationships with birth family after aging out of foster care: experiences of young people. Families in Society 107 (2), pp.400-419. (10.1177/10443894241303193)
- Roberts, L. et al. 2026. Innovative and ambitious or unrealistic and risky? Initial professional perspectives on the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot. The British Journal of Social Work 56 (1), pp.26-45. (10.1093/bjsw/bcaf124)
- Janes, E. et al. 2025. Adoptive parents' experiences of birth parent contact in the years after placement. Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science 74 (5), pp.2487-2506. (10.1111/fare.70032)
- Holland, S. , Taussig, H. and Havlicek, J. 2025. Hurt, loss, joy, and forgiveness: Foster care–experienced young adults' relationships with their birth parents. Family Relations: Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science 74 (4), pp.2000-2016. (10.1111/fare.13184)
- Holland, S. et al. 2025. Critical reflections on public involvement in research: involving involuntary recipients of social services to improve research quality. The British Journal of Social Work 55 (5), pp.2500-2518. bcaf058. (10.1093/bjsw/bcaf058)
- Westlake, D. et al. 2024. The basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: Protocol of a quasi-experimental evaluation. PLoS ONE 19 (10) e0303837. (10.1371/journal.pone.0303837)
- Holland, S. 2023. Removing the “Reasonable Punishment” defence in Wales. Canadian Journal of Children's Rights / Revue canadienne des droits des enfants 10 (1), pp.142-163. (10.22215/cjcr.v10i1.4277)
- Bailey, G. A. et al., 2023. Immunisation status of children receiving care and support in Wales: a national data linkage study. Frontiers in Public Health 11 1231264. (10.3389/fpubh.2023.1231264)
- Karen, W. et al., 2017. Exploring communication between social workers, children and young people. British Journal of Social Work 47 (5), pp.1427-1444. (10.1093/bjsw/bcw083)
- Roberts, L. et al. 2016. Improving well-being and outcomes for looked after children in Wales: A context sensitive review of interventions. Adoption and Fostering 40 (4), pp.309-324. (10.1177/0308575916675563)
- Anthony, R. et al. 2016. Factors affecting adoption in Wales: Predictors of variation in time between entry to care and adoptive placement. Children and Youth Services Review 60 , pp.184-190. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.010)
- Forrester, D. et al. 2016. Helping families where parents misuse drugs or alcohol? A mixed methods comparative evaluation of an intensive family preservation service. Child and Family Social Work 21 (1), pp.65-75. (10.1111/cfs.12111)
- Holland, S. , Williams, A. and Forrester, D. 2014. Navigating ethical moments when researching substance misuse with parents and their children. Qualitative Research 14 (4), pp.411-427. (10.1177/1468794112473495)
- O'Connor, L. et al., 2014. Perspectives on children's experiences in families with parental substance misuse and child protection interventions. Children and Youth Services Review 38 , pp.66-74. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.01.008)
- Williams, A. et al. 2014. The development of a designated dental pathway for looked after children. British Dental Journal 216 (3), pp.E6. (10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.51)
- Holland, S. 2013. Trust in the community: understanding the relationship between formal, semi-formal and informal child safeguarding in a local neighbourhood. British Journal of Social Work n/a (10.1093/bjsw/bcs118)
- Holland, S. et al. 2013. Parenting and substance misuse: understanding accounts and realities in child protection contexts. British Journal of Social Work n/a (10.1093/bjsw/bcs197)
- Holland, S. and Crowley, A. 2013. Looked-after children and their birth families: using sociology to explore changing relationships, hidden histories and nomadic childhoods. Child & Family Social Work 18 (1), pp.57-66. (10.1111/cfs.12032)
- Rees, A. , Holland, S. and Pithouse, A. J. 2012. Food in foster families: care, communication and conflict. Children & Society 26 (2), pp.100-111. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2010.00332.x)
- Baynes, P. and Holland, S. 2012. Social work with violent men: a child protection file study in an English local authority. Child Abuse Review 21 (1), pp.53-65. (10.1002/car.1159)
- Evans, R. E. and Holland, S. 2012. Community parenting and the informal safeguarding of children at neighbourhood level. Families, Relationships and Societies 1 (2), pp.173-190. (10.1332/204674312X645501)
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2012. Engaging fathers in child welfare services: A narrative review of recent research evidence. Child and Family Social Work 17 (2), pp.160-169. (10.1111/j.1365-2206.2012.00827.x)
- Maxwell, N. et al. 2012. The benefits and challenges of training child protection social workers in father engagement. Child Abuse Review 21 (4), pp.299-310. (10.1002/car.2218)
- Holland, S. , Tannock, S. and Collicott, H. E. 2011. Everybody's business? A research review of the informal safeguarding of other people's children in the UK. Children & Society 25 (5), pp.406-416. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00389.x)
- Byrne, E. , Holland, S. and Jerzembek, G. S. 2010. A pilot study on the impact of a home-based parenting intervention: Parents Plus. Childcare in Practice 16 (2), pp.111-127. (10.1080/13575270903563325)
- Holland, S. et al. 2010. Understanding neighbourhoods, communities and environments: new approaches for social work research. British Journal of Social Work 41 (4), pp.689-707. (10.1093/bjsw/bcq123)
- Holland, S. et al. 2010. Power, agency and participatory agendas: A critical exploration of young people's engagement in participative qualitative research. Childhood 17 (3), pp.360-375. (10.1177/0907568210369310)
- Thomas, J. R. and Holland, S. 2010. Representing children's identities in core assessments. British Journal of Social Work 40 (8), pp.2617-2633. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp154)
- Drakeford, M. et al. 2009. Welsh children’s views on government and participation. Childhood 16 (2), pp.247-264. (10.1177/0907568209104404)
- Holland, S. 2009. Assessment in Social Work, 3rd edn, Judith Milner and Patrick O'Byrne [Book Review]. British Journal of Social Work 39 (7), pp.1412-1413. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp111)
- Holland, S. 2009. Kids today. Agenda: The Journal of the Institute of Welsh Affairs (Spring), pp.54-55.
- Holland, S. 2009. Listening to children in care: A review of methodological and theoretical approaches to understanding looked after children's perspectives. Children & Society 23 (3), pp.226-235. (10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00213.x)
- Holland, S. 2009. Looked after children and the ethic of care. British Journal of Social Work 40 (6), pp.1664-1680. (10.1093/bjsw/bcp086)
- Ross, N. J. et al. 2009. Moving stories: using mobile methods to explore the everyday lives of young people in public care. Qualitative Research 9 (5), pp.605-623. (10.1177/1468794109343629)
- Willis, R. and Holland, S. A. L. 2009. Life story work: Reflections on the experience by looked after young people. Adoption and Fostering 33 (4), pp.44-52.
- Holland, S. and Rivett, M. 2008. 'Everyone started shouting': making connections between the process of family group conferences and family therapy practice. British Journal of Social Work 38 (1), pp.21-38. (10.1093/bjsw/bcl064)
- Renold, E. et al. 2008. 'Becoming participant': problematizing 'informed consent' in participatory research with young people in care. Qualitative Social Work 7 (4), pp.427-447. (10.1177/1473325008097139)
- Scourfield, J. B. , Holland, S. and Young, C. 2008. Social work in Wales since democratic devolution. Australian Social Work 61 (1), pp.42-56. (10.1080/03124070701818724)
- Scourfield, J. B. et al. 2006. The significance of place in middle childhood: qualitative research from Wales. British Journal of Sociology 57 (4), pp.577-595. (10.1111/j.1468-4446.2006.00126.x)
- Holland, S. and O'Neill, S. 2006. ‘We had to be there to make sure it was what we wanted’: enabling children’s participation in family decision-making through the family group conference. Childhood: A Journal of Global Child Research 13 (1), pp.91-111. (10.1177/0907568206059975)
- Holland, S. , Faulkner, A. and Perez-del-Aguila, V. R. 2005. Promoting stability and continuity of care for looked after children: a survey and critical review. Child & Family Social Work 10 (1), pp.29-41. (10.1111/j.1365-2206.2004.00339.x)
- Holland, S. et al. 2005. Democratising the family and the state? The case of family group conferences in child welfare. Journal of Social Policy 34 (1), pp.59-78. (10.1017/S0047279404008268)
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2004. Liberty and respect in child protection. British Journal of Social Work 34 (1), pp.21-36. (10.1093/bjsw/bch003)
- Holland, S. 2001. Representing children in child protection assessments. Childhood: A Journal of Global Child Research 8 (3), pp.322-339. (10.1177/0907568201008003002)
- Holland, S. 2000. The assessment relationship: interactions between social workers and parents in child protection assessments. The British Journal of Social Work 30 (2), pp.149–163. (10.1093/bjsw/30.2.149)
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2000. Managing marginalised masculinities: men and probation. Journal of Gender Studies 9 (2), pp.199-211. (10.1080/713677981)
- Pithouse, A. and Holland, S. 1999. Family support and the early years centre: a case study of parent views. Child Care in Practice 5 (2), pp.140-150. (10.1080/13575279908413166)
Book sections
- Holland, S. 2022. Social work: A relationship-based profession. In: Cree, V. E. ed. Becoming a Social Worker. 3rd ed.. Routledge. , pp.93-98.
- Holland, S. and O'Neill, S. 2011. 'We had to be there to make sure it was what we wanted': Enabling children's participation in family decision-making through the family group conference. In: Coffey, A. J. and Hall, T. A. eds. Researching Young People. Vol. 2, Fundamentals of Applied Research London, UK: Sage Publications Ltd. , pp.219-240.
- Renold, E. et al. 2011. 'Becoming participant': problematising 'informed consent' in participatory research with young people in care. In: Atkinson, P. A. and Delamont, K. S. eds. SAGE Qualitative Research Methods. Vol. 4, London: Sage. , pp.55-74.
- Ross, N. et al., 2011. Meaningful meanderings: using mobile methods to research young people’s everyday lives. In: Heath, S. and Walker, C. eds. Innovations in youth research. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. , pp.37-57.
- Ross, N. J. et al. 2011. Moving stories: using mobile methods to explore the everyday lives of young people in public care. In: Coffey, A. J. and Hall, T. A. eds. Researching Young People. Vol. 1, Fundamentals of Applied Research London: Sage. , pp.123-140.
- Holland, S. 2009. Engaging children and their parents in the assessment process. In: Horwath, J. ed. The child's World: the Comprehensive Guide to Assessing Children in Need, 2nd ed.. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. , pp.110-123.
- Holland, S. A. L. 2009. Diverse childhoods, participation and democracy: some reasons to be cheerful. In: Osmond, J. and Morris, N. eds. What Are We Doing To Our Kids?. Cardiff, UK: Institute of Welsh Affairs/ BBC Cymru Wales. , pp.64-66.
- Holland, S. et al. 2008. The everyday lives of children in care: using a sociological perspective to inform social work practice. In: Luckock, B. and Lefevre, M. eds. Direct work: social work with children and young people in care. London: British Association for Adoption & Fostering. , pp.77-94.
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2008. Managing marginalised masculinities: men and probation. In: Tomsen, S. ed. Crime, criminal justice and masculinities. International Library of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Penology - Second series Aldershot: Ashgate. , pp.427-440.
Books
- Holland, S. and Scourfield, J. B. 2015. Social work: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Shaw, I. and Holland, S. 2014. Doing qualitative research in social work. SAGE Publications.
- Holland, S. 2011. Child and family assessment in social work practice. London: Sage.
- Holland, S. 2004. Child and family assessment in social work practice. London: Sage.
Conferences
- Ross, N. et al., 2008. The multi-sensory experiences of mobile research encounters. Presented at: NCRM Research Methods Festival 2008 St Catherine's College, Oxford 30 June - 3 July 2008.
Monographs
- Bezeczky, Z. et al. 2026. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: third annual report, 2025 to 2026. Project Report.[Online].Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-annual-report-2025-2026.
- Sanders, M. et al., 2025. Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: statistical analysis plan. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff: Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-statistical-analysis-plan.
- Mathur, V. et al. 2025. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: second annual report, 2024 to 2025. Project Report.[Online].Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2025-03/basic-income-for-care-leavers-in-wales-pilot-evaluation-second-annual-report-2024-to-2025_0.pdf.
- Ablitt, J. , Jimenez Lugo, P. and Holland, S. 2024. Eliminating profit from children’s residential and foster care: evidence review. Technical Report.
- Holland, S. et al. 2024. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: annual report, 2023 to 2024.
- Holland, S. et al. 2008. Rights, ‘right on’ or the right thing to do? A critical exploration of young people's engagement in participative social work research. Working paper. ERSC National Centre for Reseacrh Methods. Available at: http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/460/1/0708%2520critical%2520exploration.pdf.
- Wiles, R. et al., 2008. Visual ethics: ethical issues in visual research. Working paper. National Centre for Research Methods,. Available at: http://eprints.ncrm.ac.uk/421/1/MethodsReviewPaperNCRM-011.pdf.
Websites
- Barrance, R. and Holland, S. 2019. How well is Wales monitoring its fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child? A view from Dr Rhian Barrance and Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales. [Online].Cardiff: Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods. Available at: https://wiserd.ac.uk/news/how-well-wales-monitoring-its-fulfilment-convention-rights-child-view-dr-rhian-barrance-and.
Research
My research interests centre around children and families, particularly in the field of children's social care.
I am currently leading the evaluation of the Welsh Government's Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers, alongside my colleague David Westlake.
I am a co-researcher on research projects about Sure Start in Northern Ireland, Flying Start in Wales and a European project about support for children after abuse or neglect.
My previous research projects have explored several aspects of children’s and families’ lives, including:
- A review of effective interventions to improve outcomes for looked after children for the Big Lottery. The charity then invested £5m in a trial of the intervention recommended by the study;
- a participative project with looked after children using creative methods;
- an observational study of social workers’ engagement with children;
- a community study of children’s safeguarding on a housing estate;
- life history interviews with care experienced young adults;
- an adoption cohort study;
- a study of children’s experiences of family group conferences.
Teaching
I teach on the MA Social Work programme
I supervise undergraduate and Master's dissertation and Doctoral students
