Professor Michelle Lefevre

Profile

Michelle Lefevre is Professor of Social Work at the University of Sussex, where she is Director of the Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth (www.sussex.ac.uk/esw/circy). She leads the Innovate Project (www.theinnovateproject.co.uk), a four year pan-UK research study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, exploring innovation in social care methods and systems to address extra-familial risks facing young people. Prior to her academic career, Michelle practised as a social worker and psychotherapist with children and families where there had been child protection concerns. Michelle was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2015 for her work advancing the pedagogy of social workers’ communication skills with children.

Research

Publications

• Preston, O., Godar, R., Lefevre, M., Boddy, J., Firmin, C. (2021) Considerations in the use of local and national data for evaluating innovation in children’s social care, Journal of Children’s Services, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 233-248, DOI 10.1108/JCS-12-2020-0081
• Hampson, M., Goldsmith, C. and Lefevre, M. (2021) ‘Towards a framework for ethical innovation in children’s social care’, Journal of Children’s Services, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 198-213, DOI 10.1108/JCS-12-2020-0080, ISSN: 1746-6660.
• Lefevre, M., Preston, O., Hickle, K. et al., (2020) Evaluation of the Implementation of a Contextual Safeguarding System in the London Borough of Hackney. Project Report. Department for Education.
• Lefevre, M., Hickle, K. & Luckock, B. (2019) ‘Both/and’ not ‘either/or’: reconciling rights to protection and participation in working with child sexual exploitation, British Journal of Social Work, Volume 49, Issue 7, pp.1837–185.
• Lefevre, M. (2018) Communicating and Engaging with Children and Young People: Making a Difference. Bristol: The Policy Press, 2nd Edition.
• Lefevre, M., Hickle, K., Luckock, B. & Ruch, G. (2017) Building trust with children and young people at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation: the professional challenge British Journal of Social Work, 47(8), pp. 2456–2473.

Expertise