Mr David Westlake
Teams and roles for David Westlake
Principal Research Fellow
Overview
I research child and family social work, and my career to date has included a wide range of topics within and around this field. I am currently co-leading the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales evaluation, and I am a the Cardiff lead on an RCT of police in schools led by Kings College London. Recenty completed studies include the largest RCT ever undertaken in social work (the Social Workers in Schools Trial - which involved 280,000 children), the evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court pilot in Wales, and evaluations of parental advocacy. Last year I co-edited a special edition of the Journal of Children's Services, on the topic of education and formal and community-based children’s services, and I am working on a book about experimentatal methods in Children's Social Care research with colleagues form Kings College London. I am due to start a HCRW funded 'Advancing Researcher' Fellowship this year. I am a member of the UK Government's Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel, and part of the School of Social Sciences ethics committee.
Publication
2024
- Schroeder, E. et al. 2024. The cost-effectiveness and cost-consequences of a school-based social worker intervention: a within-trial economic evaluation. Children and Youth Services Review 166, article number: 107928. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107928)
- Powell, S., Fitz-Symonds, S., Wilkins, D., Westlake, D., Long, F., Lilly, E. and Diaz, C. 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)
- Westlake, D. and Daly, A. 2024. Editorial: Journal of Children's Services Special Edition: the intersection of education and formal and community-based children's services. Journal of Children's Services 19(3), pp. 137-141. (10.1108/JCS-09-2024-088)
- Bennett, V. et al. 2024. Student perspectives on school-based social workers: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Children's Services 19(3), pp. 189-221. (10.1108/JCS-04-2023-0021)
- 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), article number: e0303837. (10.1371/journal.pone.0303837)
- Westlake, D. et al. 2024. Social workers in schools: A feasibility study of three local authorities. Journal of Social Work 24(5), pp. 607-626. (10.1177/14680173241258927)
- Meindl, M. and Westlake, D. 2024. Evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court in Wales pilot: Final Report. Project Report. Cardiff: CASCADE.
- Schroeder, E. et al. 2024. The cost-effectiveness and cost-consequences of a school-based social worker intervention: a within-trial economic evaluation. [Online]. SSRN. (10.2139/ssrn.4776734)
- Holland, S. et al. 2024. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: annual report, 2023 to 2024. Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-annual-report-2023-2024
- Sanders, M., Westlake, D., Ellingwood, J., Bancroft, K. and Bennett, V. 2024. Pilot trial protocol: Police in corridors. Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Fund. Available at: https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/funding/who-we-fund/national-police-chiefs-council-2/
2023
- Devine, R., Benson, K., Fitz-Symonds, S., Westlake, D., Campbell, K. and Diaz, C. 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., Evans, L., Tobis, D., Westlake, D. and Diaz, C. 2023. Mechanisms for support: A realist evaluation of peer parental advocacy in England. The British Journal of Social Work (10.1093/bjsw/bcad200)
- Adara, L. et al. 2023. The Social Workers in Schools Trial: An evaluation of school based social work.. Project Report. Early Intervention Foundation.
- Diaz, C., Fitz-Symonds, S., Evans, L., Westlake, D., Devine, R., Mauri, D. and Davies, B. 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
2022
- Westlake, D., Corliss, C., Thompson, S., Meindl, M., Diaz, C., Talwar, R. and Folkes, L. 2022. Devolved budgets in Children’s Social Care: A logic model based on three pilot evaluations. British Journal of Social Work 52(7), pp. 3999-4020. (10.1093/bjsw/bcac019)
- Meindl, M., Hosch, M. and Westlake, D. 2022. An evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court in Wales pilot: Interim report. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff University. Available at: https://cascadewales.org/research/evaluation-of-the-family-drug-and-alcohol-court-in-wales-pilot/
- Westlake, D. et al. 2022. Evaluating a school-based intervention through routine local authority data and national school data: challenges and opportunities. Presented at: International Population Data Linkage Conference 2022, 7 - 9 September 2022, Vol. 7. Vol. 3., (10.23889/ijpds.v7i3.1886)
- Westlake, D. et al. 2022. The SWIS trial: protocol of a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial of school based social work. PLoS ONE 17(6), article number: e0265354. (10.1371/journal.pone.0265354)
2021
- Jones, R. K. and Westlake, D. 2021. Independent visiting with children in care during the pandemic: disruptions and discoveries. Qualitative Social Work 20(1-2), pp. 383-389. (10.1177/1473325020981087)
- Diaz, C., Westlake, D. and Evans, L. 2021. The perceived impact of peer parental advocacy on child protection practice: a pilot evaluation. What Works for Children's Social Care. Available at: http://whatworks-csc.org.uk/research-project/the-perceived-impact-of-peer-parental-advocacy-on-child-protection-practice-a-pilot-evaluation/
2020
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Social workers in schools: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Social-Workers-in-Schools_pilot-study_full-report_May-2020.pdf
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Devolved budgets: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Devolved_Budgets_Full_Report_March_2020_FINAL.pdf
- Forrester, D., Killian, M., Westlake, D. and Sheehan, L. 2020. Patterns of practice: an exploratory factor analysis of child and family social worker skills. Child and Family Social Work 25(1), pp. 108-117. (10.1111/cfs.12664)
- Westlake, D. 2020. Direct observation in practice: co-developing an evidence-informed practice tool to assess social work communication. Journal of Children's Services 15(3), pp. 123-140. (10.1108/JCS-08-2019-0043)
2019
- Forrester, D. et al. 2019. What is the relationship between worker skills and outcomes for families in child and family social work?. British Journal of Social Work 49(8), pp. 2148-2167. (10.1093/bjsw/bcy126)
2018
- Wilkins, D., Jones, R. and Westlake, D. 2018. 'The activity does not archive well': Comparing audio and written records of supervision case discussions in Children's Services. Journal of Children's Services 13(3/4), pp. 93-109. (10.1108/JCS-03-2018-0005)
- Forrester, D. et al. 2018. A randomized controlled trial of training in motivational Interviewing for child protection. Children and Youth Services Review 88, pp. 180-190. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.014)
- Westlake, D., Silverwood, V., Wallace, S., Mayhew-Manistre, L. and Forrester, D. 2018. Safely reducing the need for children to enter care: telephone interviews with local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Reducing_the_number_of_children_in_statutory_care_telephone_interviews_with_local_authorities.pdf
2017
- Killian, M., Forrester, D., Westlake, D. and Antonopoulou, P. 2017. Validity of the Working Alliance Inventory within child protection services. Research on Social Work Practice 27(6), pp. 704-715. (10.1177/1049731515596816)
Cynadleddau
- Westlake, D. et al. 2022. Evaluating a school-based intervention through routine local authority data and national school data: challenges and opportunities. Presented at: International Population Data Linkage Conference 2022, 7 - 9 September 2022, Vol. 7. Vol. 3., (10.23889/ijpds.v7i3.1886)
Erthyglau
- Schroeder, E. et al. 2024. The cost-effectiveness and cost-consequences of a school-based social worker intervention: a within-trial economic evaluation. Children and Youth Services Review 166, article number: 107928. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107928)
- Powell, S., Fitz-Symonds, S., Wilkins, D., Westlake, D., Long, F., Lilly, E. and Diaz, C. 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)
- Westlake, D. and Daly, A. 2024. Editorial: Journal of Children's Services Special Edition: the intersection of education and formal and community-based children's services. Journal of Children's Services 19(3), pp. 137-141. (10.1108/JCS-09-2024-088)
- Bennett, V. et al. 2024. Student perspectives on school-based social workers: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Children's Services 19(3), pp. 189-221. (10.1108/JCS-04-2023-0021)
- 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), article number: e0303837. (10.1371/journal.pone.0303837)
- Westlake, D. et al. 2024. Social workers in schools: A feasibility study of three local authorities. Journal of Social Work 24(5), pp. 607-626. (10.1177/14680173241258927)
- Devine, R., Benson, K., Fitz-Symonds, S., Westlake, D., Campbell, K. and Diaz, C. 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., Evans, L., Tobis, D., Westlake, D. and Diaz, C. 2023. Mechanisms for support: A realist evaluation of peer parental advocacy in England. The British Journal of Social Work (10.1093/bjsw/bcad200)
- Westlake, D., Corliss, C., Thompson, S., Meindl, M., Diaz, C., Talwar, R. and Folkes, L. 2022. Devolved budgets in Children’s Social Care: A logic model based on three pilot evaluations. British Journal of Social Work 52(7), pp. 3999-4020. (10.1093/bjsw/bcac019)
- Westlake, D. et al. 2022. The SWIS trial: protocol of a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial of school based social work. PLoS ONE 17(6), article number: e0265354. (10.1371/journal.pone.0265354)
- Jones, R. K. and Westlake, D. 2021. Independent visiting with children in care during the pandemic: disruptions and discoveries. Qualitative Social Work 20(1-2), pp. 383-389. (10.1177/1473325020981087)
- Forrester, D., Killian, M., Westlake, D. and Sheehan, L. 2020. Patterns of practice: an exploratory factor analysis of child and family social worker skills. Child and Family Social Work 25(1), pp. 108-117. (10.1111/cfs.12664)
- Westlake, D. 2020. Direct observation in practice: co-developing an evidence-informed practice tool to assess social work communication. Journal of Children's Services 15(3), pp. 123-140. (10.1108/JCS-08-2019-0043)
- Forrester, D. et al. 2019. What is the relationship between worker skills and outcomes for families in child and family social work?. British Journal of Social Work 49(8), pp. 2148-2167. (10.1093/bjsw/bcy126)
- Wilkins, D., Jones, R. and Westlake, D. 2018. 'The activity does not archive well': Comparing audio and written records of supervision case discussions in Children's Services. Journal of Children's Services 13(3/4), pp. 93-109. (10.1108/JCS-03-2018-0005)
- Forrester, D. et al. 2018. A randomized controlled trial of training in motivational Interviewing for child protection. Children and Youth Services Review 88, pp. 180-190. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.02.014)
- Killian, M., Forrester, D., Westlake, D. and Antonopoulou, P. 2017. Validity of the Working Alliance Inventory within child protection services. Research on Social Work Practice 27(6), pp. 704-715. (10.1177/1049731515596816)
Gwefannau
- Schroeder, E. et al. 2024. The cost-effectiveness and cost-consequences of a school-based social worker intervention: a within-trial economic evaluation. [Online]. SSRN. (10.2139/ssrn.4776734)
Monograffau
- Meindl, M. and Westlake, D. 2024. Evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court in Wales pilot: Final Report. Project Report. Cardiff: CASCADE.
- Holland, S. et al. 2024. Basic income for care leavers in Wales pilot evaluation: annual report, 2023 to 2024. Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-annual-report-2023-2024
- Sanders, M., Westlake, D., Ellingwood, J., Bancroft, K. and Bennett, V. 2024. Pilot trial protocol: Police in corridors. Youth Endowment Fund Charitable Fund. Available at: https://youthendowmentfund.org.uk/funding/who-we-fund/national-police-chiefs-council-2/
- Adara, L. et al. 2023. The Social Workers in Schools Trial: An evaluation of school based social work.. Project Report. Early Intervention Foundation.
- Diaz, C., Fitz-Symonds, S., Evans, L., Westlake, D., Devine, R., Mauri, D. and Davies, B. 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
- Meindl, M., Hosch, M. and Westlake, D. 2022. An evaluation of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court in Wales pilot: Interim report. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff University. Available at: https://cascadewales.org/research/evaluation-of-the-family-drug-and-alcohol-court-in-wales-pilot/
- Diaz, C., Westlake, D. and Evans, L. 2021. The perceived impact of peer parental advocacy on child protection practice: a pilot evaluation. What Works for Children's Social Care. Available at: http://whatworks-csc.org.uk/research-project/the-perceived-impact-of-peer-parental-advocacy-on-child-protection-practice-a-pilot-evaluation/
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Social workers in schools: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Social-Workers-in-Schools_pilot-study_full-report_May-2020.pdf
- Westlake, D. et al. 2020. Devolved budgets: an evaluation of pilots in three local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Devolved_Budgets_Full_Report_March_2020_FINAL.pdf
- Westlake, D., Silverwood, V., Wallace, S., Mayhew-Manistre, L. and Forrester, D. 2018. Safely reducing the need for children to enter care: telephone interviews with local authorities in England. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Reducing_the_number_of_children_in_statutory_care_telephone_interviews_with_local_authorities.pdf
Research
My research has covered the following topics:
- Social work communication skills
- School based social work
- Organisational culture
- Devolved budgets
- Advocacy for trafficked children
- Pathways for very young children at risk of harm
- Research ethics
Current projects
- The SWIS Trial
Recently completed projects
- Social workers in schools pilots
- Devolved budgets pilots
Teaching
I have significant teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level but I am currently focussed on research.
Biography
Education
Cambridge University; Mphil Criminology
Lancaster University; BA Criminology
Employment
2024 - present Principal Research Fellow, Cardiff University
2021 - 2024 Senior Research Fellow, Cardiff University
2018 – 2021 Research Fellow, Cardiff University
2015 – 2018 Senior Research Fellow, University of Bedfordshire
2011 – 2015 Research Fellow, University of Bedfordshire
2007 – 2010 Research Associate; Loughborough University
2006 - 2007 Research Assistant; Bristol University
Voluntary work
2019 – 2021 Independent visitor
Committees and reviewing
2022 - present Member of UK Government Evaluation and Trials Advice Panel (ETAP)
2017 – 2024 Associate Editor Journal of Children’s Services
2018 – present CoramBAAF Research Advisory Board
2018 – 2019 Academic advisor, Bristol University Compassion Fatigue Study
2015 – 2018 University Ethics committee member