Prof. Claudia Bernard

Claudia is a Professor of Social Work and Head of Postgraduate Research in the Department of Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies. Claudia is a qualified social worker and, has worked in local authority children and families social work and has retained this interest in her research and teaching.

Claudia joined Goldsmiths in 1994 and previously held a lectureship at the university of Portsmouth.

Her general interests lie in the areas of social work with children and families, gender-based violence, critical race theory, equalities and social justice. Claudia has also developed an interest in research ethics. 

Claudia teaches on courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and also leads the PhD programme in the Department.

As an educator and researcher, her primary interests are in delivering the highest quality of social work education, and in developing students’ research-mindedness for research-informed practice. 

Claudia has published widely in child abuse and neglect and in equality and diversity issues in social work education.

Claudia is a board member of the South East London Teaching Partnership and the City of London/Goldsmiths Knowledge Transfer Programme.

She is also currently the Co-Chair of the UK Joint University Council Social Work Research Committee and Co-Editor of the Journal Ethics & Social Welfare.

Location: Room 104, 21 St James

Academic qualifications

• PhD in Social Work
• MA in Gender and Society
• Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW)
• Diploma in Applied Social Studies

Teaching

Claudia teaches modules on child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, the social policy context of social work and research methods

Areas of supervision

Claudia is interested in supervising students in the broadly defined areas: child abuse and neglect, gender-based violence and social work, child welfare inequalities, childhood transitions.

Featured publications

• Bernard, C. (2016) Black Children’s Experiences of Living with Domestic Violence, in C. Bernard & P. Harris (Eds) Safeguarding Black Children: Good Practice in Child Protection, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Bernard, C. & Thomas, C. (2016) Risk and Safety: A Strengths-based Perspective in Working with Black Families when there are Safeguarding Concerns, in C. Williams & M. Graham (Eds) Social Work in a Diverse Society: Transformative Practice with Ethnic Minority Communities. Policy Press
• Edited Book: C. Bernard & P. Harris (Eds) (2016) Safeguarding Black Children: God Practice in Child Protection, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Book Section: Bernard, C. (2016) Child Sexual Abuse in the Lives of Black Children, in C. Bernard & P. Harris (Eds) Safeguarding Black Children: God Practice in Child Protection, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Article: Bernard, C. (2015) Black Teenage Mothers' Understandings of the Effects of Maltreatment on their Coping Style and Parenting Practice: A Pilot Study, Children and Society, 29, 5, 355- 365.

Keynote lectures

• Socio-Economic Differences. Learning From Experience: The Findings of two Recent Serious Case Reviews. London Borough of Wandsworth, London. 20th April 2016.
• Social Work with Black and Ethnic Minority Families: Messages from Research, at the School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College, Dublin, 18th February 2016.
• Anti-Racist and Anti-Sexist Practice in Contemporary Social Work to the Making Research Count Conference, London Borough of Wandsworth. 9th September 2015.
• Reflecting on my Research Journey, at the Annual Postgraduate Research Conference Faculty of Health & Wellbeing, Canterbury Christ Church University. Canterbury, 27th June 2015
• Intersectionality as an Analytical Tool: Gender-Based Violence, Queens University Social Work, North Carolina Students, Senate House, University of London. 13 May 2015
• Advancing a Social Justice Agenda in Social Work In Neoliberal Times. Discourse, Power and Resistance 15 Annual Conference, Goldsmiths, University of London, 15-17 April 2015.
• Keynote address at the Making Research Count Conference Wandsworth Social Services, on Anti-Racist and Anti-Sexist Practice in Contemporary Social Work to the Making Research Count Conference, London Borough of Wandsworth. 9th September 2015.

Grants & awards

• 2011: Goldsmiths, Research Office: Diversity and Progression Toolkit   £1000.00

• 2009: ESRC Researcher Development Initiative: Further Development of Research Skills of Mid-Career Social Work Academics: Supportive Learning Sets, Mixed Methodologies and Research Placements £99, 383.00

• 2007-2011 Department of Health: Diversity and Progression Among Social Work Students in England: An Explanatory Study. £105, 983.00

• 2007: British Association of the Society for the Protection of Child Abuse and Neglect (BAPSCAN):  An Exploration of the Effects of Childhood Maltreatment on Black Teen Mothers Parenting of Their Children: Pilot Study. £5000.00

• 1995: Goldsmiths, Research Office Childhood Sexual Abuse Project £1500.00

Professional activities

• Co-Chair of Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee Research Sub-committee
• Co-Editor, Journal of Ethics and Social Welfare
• Member of the National Institute of Health Research
• Member of British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
• Member of The Social Work Academic Working Group to advise
• The Family Justice Council on the dissemination of lessons from research to the judiciary in public law
• Claudia reviews for various international academic journals

Professional development

• 2014: Coaching for Performance, Goldsmiths, University of London
• 2014: Leading Effective Teams, Goldsmiths, University of London
• 2014: Leadership and Change, Goldsmiths, University of London
• 2014: Managing Difficult Conversations, Goldsmiths, University of London
• 2012: Impact Case Study Workshop, Goldsmiths, University of London 

Research Interests

Claduia's research projects explore the interplay of race, gender, social class, and child and family welfare.

These include childhood sexual abuse, domestic abuse, teenage mothers and the ethics of care.

Claudia is interested in developing methodologies that open up new ways for understanding violence and abuse in the lives of vulnerable children from disadvantaged groups, and much of my research has thus examined such issues as they occur in the UK.

Her research is concerned with standpoints that engage an intersectional lens for investigating how the effects of multiple and interacting oppressions contribute to lived experiences.