Suzie has a first-class degree in Education and English, a PGCE and an MEd with Distinction in Researching Practice from the University of Cambridge. She has experience of conducting large scale reviews and research projects, mixed methods process and impact evaluations, multi-site evaluations, and robust evaluation approaches such as Randomised Controlled Trials. She has particular experience and interest in projects supporting children and young people within the education, youth justice, and children’s social care sectors.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of working at Cordis Bright is the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders and service users. We draw upon their unique experiences and perspectives through high-quality research, producing reports which translate into real change for our clients and the communities they support.”
Suzie’s recent and current projects include:
- Randomised controlled trials of case management and mentoring programmes for young people at risk of involvement in offending behaviour, funded by the Youth Endowment Fund. These projects have involved analysis of monitoring and outcomes data from a control and treatment group in order to compare outcomes of the interventions with ‘business as usual’.
- Evaluation of multiple education inclusion projects that focus on improving young people’s engagement, attainment and attendance in school. For example, projects which supported young people at risk of exclusion due to involvement with serious violence, and an education service in Newham children’s services which supported children and young people at risk of exploitation. These projects have involved a range of primary and secondary research and mixed methods approaches to evidence impact on young people, staff and the wider system.
- Reviews and evaluations of early years interventions for families, including the use of home learning apps, and a review of the materials used by a home visiting programme aiming to support families with their children’s early development and nutrition. As part of the latter, Suzie was involved in large-scale consultation and collaboration with a range of stakeholders to benchmark and redesign programme materials.
- A large-scale needs assessment for children, young people and young adults with complex needs, with a particular focus on young people at risk of involvement in serious youth violence. This involved extensive consultation with system leaders and frontline staff as well as analysis of large data-sets.
- Evaluation of a programme working to formalise and embed partnership working to better meet the needs of migrant children and young people in care to access their citizenship and settlement rights. This included involvement in a steering group to share learning and progress across multiple areas, creating a data collection template, and qualitative and quantitative fieldwork and analysis.
Suzie has previous frontline experience as a teacher and Early Years Lead in a school, during which time she led a community-wide research project in collaboration with the European Research Committee to increase social cohesion and improve the attainment of children from low-income families. Suzie also has previous and current experience volunteering with youth groups, children’s charities and homelessness services.
Suzie is on maternity leave.
