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Lorna’s research interests have stemmed from her 20 years practice experience as a social worker in Northern Ireland, and five years working for an International NGO based in Uganda, East Africa. Her research in Adult Safeguarding and in the assessment of parenting capacity seeks to influence ways in which social workers protect and support the families with whom they work. Lorna is also interested in research in the areas of mental health and bereavement.

Lorna’s research has included a review of adult safeguarding legislation, evaluations of mental health service provision and of services for isolated older people, and an exploration of disabled people’s experiences of decision making. Additionally, Lorna is leading on a large regional project, Building Better Futures, which aims to refine and implement a new evidence-based model for the assessment of parenting capacity and intervention across specific social work teams in the five Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.

In her PhD, Lorna explored therapeutic interventions for bereavement across diverse cultures, and is pursuing opportunities to conduct research in culturally sensitive interventions generally and more specifically in the area of loss and grief.