I am a retired paediatrician and emeritus professor of child health at Warwick Medical School. I have specialised in child protection work both clinically and academically for over 25 years. I have served in child protection practice at a local and national level, including sitting on the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel and have helped develop systems for child death review and serious case review in the UK, Jordan and Poland.
My research includes studies on unexpected child deaths including sudden infant death syndrome, work on child death review, and child maltreatment, including serious and fatal child abuse and neglect. I am the author/editor of three books and several book chapters, and I have published extensively on child abuse and child death review.
As a practising Christian I am keen to apply my faith to every area of my life, including my work (see my unforcedrhythms website). I am particularly interested in how the Church can further develop its approach to safeguarding, building on a strong theological base and making sure that children, young people and families are kept at the centre.
I am currently living in Aotearoa New Zealand in a lovely suburb of South Auckland, together with my wife, Lois. We spend our time (when I’m not engaged in small amounts of ongoing research, consultancies or legal work) seeing grandchildren (between us we have 15½ spread between New Zealand, England and Laos), walking on our local maunga (one of Auckland’s many extinct volcanoes) or foreshore, gardening, and doing what we can to support the local community and environment. I help with the children’s work at St James Anglican Church, Mangere Bridge.
Before moving to Aotearoa, Lois and I set up a small day retreat centre: Breathing Space Coventry. Breathing Space continues to provide a haven at the edge of the city where all are welcome to experience renewal and reconciliation, rest and restoration, and where conversations unfold that draw our spirits towards the Divine.
~
QUALIFICATIONS and AWARDS
| PhD (Theology) | University of Manchester | submitted |
| PhD (Medicine) | University of Bristol | July 2006 |
| MSc Social Research Methods | University of Bath | July 2000 |
| MB ChB | University of Bristol | June 1987 |
| MRCP (Paediatrics) | Royal College of Physicians | July 1991 |
~
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS HELD
| June 2018 – Aug 2023 | Panel Member, National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel |
| Jan 2005 – Sept 2018 | Associate Professor in Child Health, University of Warwick Consultant Paediatrician, Designated Doctor for Child Protection, Designated Doctor for Child Death Review, South Warwickshire Foundation NHS Trust |
| Aug 1997 – Dec 2004 | Consultant Paediatrician, Community Child Health, United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol |
~
NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
| 2024-5 | International Consultant, Polish Serious Case Review Project, UNICEF |
| 2018-21 | International Consultant, Jordan Child Death Review Project, UNICEF/National Council for Family Affairs, Jordan |
| 2017 – 2022 | Expert Advisory Board, Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, UK (SUDC-UK) |
| 2016 – 2021 | Trustee, Lullaby Trust |
| 2011 – 2021 | Member, Executive council, Association of Child Protection Professionals |
| 2011 – 2021 | Co-editor, Child Abuse Review |