The team at the CSA Centre

Ian is the Director of the CSA Centre. He has an extensive background in children’s services, including more than a decade leading the development and implementation of children’s social care and child protection policy. Most recently, Ian led on children's social care policy for the Local Government Association, working closely with councils and their partners to support, promote and improve children's services. Prior to this, Ian managed the London Safeguarding Children Board, working with senior leaders from across the public sector with a particular focus on building multi-agency partnerships, commissioning and managing research projects, and designing innovative policy responses to complex safeguarding issues.

Sophie has extensive experience as a research/evaluation manager and practitioner at Barnardo’s, Coram, Save the Children, in the NHS and as a consultant. She has in-depth knowledge of issues that matter for vulnerable children and young people. Child sexual exploitation was a key priority area during her three years at Barnardo’s. Author of Research for Development: a practical guide (Sage, second edition 2013), described by Oxfam as ‘undoubtedly the best guide to its subject we have’. She has led both Barnardo’s and Coram’s Research Ethics Committees, and wrote a guide to children’s ethical and meaningful participation in research for the UN Study on Violence against Children.

Anna is a qualified social worker and has worked within statutory front line child protection and specialist services as a practitioner and manager throughout her career. She specialised in child sexual abuse work, acting as an expert witness in the family courts on CSA cases. She was previously the CSA Centre's Practice Improvement Advisor for Social Work and, before that, the practice development lead for CSA within the local authority and contributed to local and regional service and policy development. Anna developed and led a multi-disciplinary specialist sexual abuse team, which provided assessments, interventions, supervision, consultation and training. Anna is an Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex and is currently the Editor of NOTA News, the quarterly magazine for members of the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abuse.

Lisa is an experienced public policy and communications leader, researcher and evaluator with over 20 years’ experience working in public policy across the children and young people’s agenda. Lisa’s roles have focused on the issues affecting, and the provision of services and support to women, families, children and young people with a particular focus on those from vulnerable groups.  Prior to joining the CSA Centre Lisa was the policy manager at the NSPCC leading the development of the policy agenda and strategy, campaign development and public affairs influencing across the remit of child abuse and neglect.

Our team of experienced researchers manage and coordinate a varied programme of work - building and translating the evidence base to support improvements in practice.

View Research Team profiles

Our multi-disciplinary team supports practice improvement using evidence and insights to develop new approaches and apply learning in practice.

View Practice Improvement Team profiles

Our policy and communications team leads our strategic approach to policy, external affairs and integrated communications.

View Policy and Communications Team profiles

Our support team manages our contracts, projects, publications and more.

View Support Team profiles