Professor Sally Holland
Professor
- hollands1@cardiff.ac.uk
- sbarc|spark, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
- Welsh speaking
Overview
I am a Professor of Social Work. My research interests include child and family social work, children’s rights and child and youth involvement in both research and policy-making. My research centre is CASCADE Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre where I lead on public involvement and public affairs.
From 2015 to 2022 I was Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
I am the Director of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion for the School of Social Sciences.
I am currently leading the evaluation of the Welsh Government's Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers, alongside my colleague David Westlake.
I teach on the MA Social Work programme and supervise Master’s dissertations and PhDs.
Biography
Publications
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), article number: 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. Welsh Government. Available at: https://www.gov.wales/basic-income-care-leavers-wales-pilot-evaluation-annual-report-2023-2024
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., Lee, A., Bedford, H., Perry, M., Holland, S., Walton, S. and Griffiths, L. J. 2023. Immunisation status of children receiving care and support in Wales: a national data linkage study. Frontiers in Public Health 11, article number: 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]. wierd.ac.uk: 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., Viviene, C., Hallett, S., Hadfield, M., Gillian, R., Fiona, M. and Holland, S. 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., Maxwell, N., Rees, P., Holland, S. and Forbes, N. 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., Meakings, S., Doughty, J., Ottaway, H., Holland, S. and Shelton, K. H. 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., Holland, S., Williams, A. and Copello, A. 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)
- Shaw, I. and Holland, S. 2014. Doing qualitative research in social work. SAGE Publications.
- O'Connor, L., Forrester, D., Holland, S. and Williams, A. 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., Mackintosh, J., Bateman, B., Holland, S., Rushworth, A., Brooks, A. and Geddes, J. 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)
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., Forrester, D., Williams, A. and Copello, A. 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
- Maxwell, N., Scourfield, J. B., Holland, S., Featherstone, B. and Lee, J. 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)
- 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., Scourfield, J. B., Featherstone, B., Holland, S. and Tolman, R. 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)
- 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)
2011
- Renold, E., Holland, S., Ross, N. J. and Hillman, A. 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., Renold, E., Holland, S. and Hillman, A. 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- Ross, N. J., Renold, E., Holland, S. and Hillman, A. 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
- Holland, S., Renold, E., Ross, N. and Hillman, A. 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)
- Holland, S., Burgess, S. J., Grogan-Kaylor, A. and Delva, J. 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)
- 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)
2009
- Ross, N. J., Renold, E., Holland, S. and Hillman, A. 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)
- 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. 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)
- Drakeford, M., Scourfield, J., Holland, S. and Davies, A. 2009. Welsh children’s views on government and participation. Childhood 16(2), pp. 247-264. (10.1177/0907568209104404)
- 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. 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. 2009. Kids today. Agenda: The Journal of the Institute of Welsh Affairs(Spring), pp. 54-55.
- 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
- Renold, E., Holland, S., Ross, N. and Hillman, A. 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)
- Wiles, R., Prosser, J., Bagnoli, A., Clark, A., Davies, K., Holland, S. and Renold, E. 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
- Holland, S., Renold, E., Ross, N. and Hillman, A. 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., Renold, E., Ross, N. J. and Hillman, A. 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.
- Ross, N., Holland, S., Renold, E. and Hillman, A. 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.
- 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)
- 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)
2006
- Scourfield, J. B., Dicks, B., Holland, S., Drakeford, M. and Davies, A. 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)
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., Scourfield, J. B., O'Neill, S. S. and Pithouse, A. J. 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.
2000
- 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)
Teaching
I teach on the MA Social Work programme
I supervise undergraduate and Master's dissertation and Doctoral students
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.
My 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.
Selected research grants:
2022-26 Evaluation of the Welsh Government's Basic Income Pilot for Care Leavers. Commissioned by Welsh Government. £800,000.
2013-2015 Holland, Ruch, Winter, Cree, Hadfield, ‘Communicating with Vulnerable Children: Understanding the Everyday Practices of Child and Family Social Workers’, ESRC, £415,000. ES/K006134/1
2013 (March-September) Holland. ‘Scoping and analysis of neglect tools, procedures and services responses in wales’, NSPCC/A4C/Welsh overnment, £20,000.
2013-16 Co-applicant (PI Robling, co-applicants Hood, Kemp, Butler, Sanders (Medicine), Holland, Segrott (SOCSI)) ‘Evaluating the long-term effectiveness, and the cost and consequences of the Family Nurse Partnership parenting support programme in reducing maltreatment in young children’ NIHR, £680,015.
September 2010-January 2011 Byrne and Holland, ‘Children at Risk: evaluating Early Years interventions with homeless families through photography’, Cymorth, £6,500.
Oct 2010-Oct 2011 Bateman, MacIntosh, Rushworth, Holland and Williams, ‘Dental Health and Looked After Children’, Northumbria Health Board, £15,000.
April 2010-April 2011 Scourfield, Bullock, Featherstone, Holland, Tolman, A feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial of a training intervention to improve the engagement of fathers in the child protection system, Wales Office of Research and Development in Health and Social Care (WORD), £124,000.
Oct 2009-Oct 2010 Forrester, Copello and Holland ‘An Evaluation of the “Option 2” Intensive Family Preservation Service’ AERC £60,000.
