Dr Claire Paterson-Young

Claire Paterson-Young (BA MSc PhD) is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII). A key feature of her research is the development of social impact measurement frameworks that aid organisations to identify the positive and negative, intended and unintended outcomes of interventions and activities.

She has over 15 years practice and management experience in safeguarding, child sexual exploitation, trafficking, sexual violence, youth and restorative justice. She consults nationally with local authorities, police forces and national organisations to develop child sexual exploitation services.

Claire is a member of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Ethics Committee, Health and Research Association Research Ethics Committee and the University of Northampton’s Research Ethics Committee. She is a trustee of the National Association for Youth Justice (NAYJ), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). 

She is currently an Associate Editor for the international Journal of Child and Family Studies and Editorial Board Member for the international Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology. She is an Expert Panel Member for the Work and Family Research Network. and Chair of the Cross-Comparison Research SIG.

Claire is co-editor of a book titled Social Impact Measurement for a Sustainable Future: The Power of Aesthetics and Practical Implications (Palgrave, 2021) and lead author of a book titled The Social Impact of Custody on Young People in the Criminal Justice System (Palgrave, 2019). In 2020, she was invited by Springer to co-author a chapter on 'Transformative Outcomes' for the Encyclopaedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Justice, Peace and Strong Institutions.

Claire's research interests are diverse, including:

- Youth studies;

- Imprisonment;

- Social impact measurement;

- Restorative justice;

- Sexual violence;

- Child sexual abuse and exploitation;

- Trauma informed practices; and

- Normalisation of abuse. 

Claire completed her Higher Education Association Fellowship in 2017 and has experience teaching in Criminology and Social Care at undergraduate and postgraduate level. She has experience teaching in modules including: Criminological Imagination; Criminological Perspectives; Explaining Violence; Youth, Risk and Society; Children, Young People and the State; and Critical Thinking.

Riann Sherratt - Coventry University (External Supervisor)

Primary prevention: Tackling child sexual offending through early intervention

Michael Maher - University of Northampton 

Collective Action in Transitioning States: A study of social enterprises

Tuyen Thanh Le - University of Northampton

Social Impact of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: The case-study of Ca Ba Island, Vietnam

Israa Alrikabi - University of Northampton

Gender influence on knowledge management processes and practices in NHS

Jo Kukuczka - Open University (External Supervisor)

Investigating the social impact of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum for change.