Research Community

John Goulding is a PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University.  His current ongoing work explores the educational experiences of ex-Service personnel with prior justice system involvement. John’s overall research interests include the use of sports to increase educational attainment and achievement, the effect of government policy on social mobility, Veterans’ health and well-being and the causation of Veteran incarceration in the justice system.

Katherine Lawrence is Head of Operations at the Service Children's Progression (SCiP) Alliance, bringing together researchers, policy-makers and funders. Katherine runs a UK-wide network of research-practice hubs focused on knowledge exchange around evidence-based practice supporting the educational progression of children and young people in Armed Forces families. In addition to supporting, disseminating and commissioning research in this space and translating it into impact, Katherine has an interest in international comparative research.

The King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) is the leading civilian UK centre of excellence for military health research providing much-needed evidence on the health and well-being of Serving and ex-Serving personnel and their families. KCMHR’s research relates to conflict and health, occupational psychiatry, personnel issues and social policy. Their research is conducted in four key areas, Serving personnel, ex-Serving personnel, military families (including those of ex-Serving personnel) and interventions.

Kirsty Davies is a second year Doctorate of Education (EdD) student at the University of Winchester with a background in Primary Teaching and Teacher Training. Her husband serves in the British Army and she is currently based in Germany. At the moment, Kirsty is working on her pilot study; due to personal experiences, as a spouse of a serving soldier and mother of three Service children, as well as her professional roles, Kirsty’s research focuses on teachers’ knowledge, understanding and confidence in supporting the needs of Service children in a primary school setting.

Lucy Robinson conducted her PhD at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, funded by an ESRC Grand Union DTP studentship. Her DPhil research aimed to engage in a meaningful and creative way with Service children to explore how military life has shaped their experiences of education and sense of self. Before embarking on her DPhil at Oxford, Lucy completed her PGCE and MEd in Primary Education at the University of Cambridge. In addition to her DPhil work and role as Twitter Manager for the Defence Research Network, Lucy is a Trustee for the Armed Forces Education Trust (AFET).

Philip Dent is the Director of the Service Children's Progression (SCiP) Alliance and has worked for two decades in education, as a teacher and leader of whole-school programmes for disadvantaged groups. He led a regional further and higher education partnership and as a Chief Executive of The Progression Trust, he conducted research, development and training on whole-person approaches to progression for children, young people and adults in the UK and Australia. Additionally, he was an adviser to the Office for Fair Access on national research policy and strategy. Philip also co-founded the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers, now an independent charity. He has a Masters in Research and is particularly interested in intrinsic personal factors impacting on progression through the life-course.