Trauma-Informed Researcher, Consultant & Speaker
BA (Hons) International Relations, MA (Merit) Childhood, Youth and Social Policy
Specialising in Care Experience, Financial Need and Trauma-Informed Practice
Combining lived experience, research, policy and practice to create meaningful, evidence-informed change.
Areas of Expertise
My work has developed across several interconnected areas:
– Care Experience, Financial Need and Transitions to Adulthood
– Care Experience, Estrangement and Belonging
– Care Experience and Estrangement in Education
– Trauma-Informed Research, Policy and Practice
– Lived Experience Leadership (LEX)
To find out more about what I can offer check out the services and upcoming events pages.
My Approach
All of my work is grounded in trauma-informed, poverty-informed, and capability-based approaches.
I believe that meaningful change happens when evidence, lived experience, and professional expertise are brought together through genuine participation and co-production. Whether delivering research, evaluation, training, facilitation, or consultancy, my focus is on creating work that is analytically robust, relationally grounded, and capable of influencing policy and practice.
My work is particularly shaped by an understanding that many of the challenges facing individuals and communities cannot be understood through trauma alone. Poverty, inequality, exclusion, and access to resources matter. Understanding how these factors interact is essential if we are to create systems that genuinely support people to thrive.
Experience and Impact
Over the course of my career, I have worked locally, nationally, and internationally to support change across social care systems.
This has included presenting evidence and recommendations to policymakers at the European Parliament, working alongside care-experienced young people from seven European countries to develop co-produced recommendations for policy and practice, and delivering keynote presentations, workshops, and training across the UK, Australia, Malta, Croatia, Italy, and the United States.
I have appeared on BBC Breakfast and other national media platforms as an expert voice on issues affecting care-experienced people and social care systems, and have contributed to research, evaluation, and organisational development projects across social care, education, health, and community settings.
Alongside my consultancy work, I hold leadership, research, and advisory roles across a number of organisations and partnerships, helping to bridge the gap between lived experience, evidence, policy, and practice.
I work with organisations that want to better understand complex social issues, strengthen participation and inclusion, generate meaningful evidence, and create systems that are both effective and humane.
Whether through research, evaluation, training, facilitation, keynote speaking, or consultancy, my aim is always the same: to help turn evidence, experience, and insight into meaningful change.
If you’re interested in discussing a project, training opportunity, evaluation, research collaboration, keynote, or consultancy support, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Conversation
Current Roles and Partnerships
Testimonials
Lacy Dicharry ABD, MS, MS, MBA, SHRM-SCP : Director of the Lousiana State University Leadership Development Institute.
“Carrie’s facilitation skills brought a transformative experience to Club Café. Her gentle, engaging approach allowed youth to feel safe and curious as they explored self-awareness and emotional wellness. Her impact was undeniable – participants connected deeply with the material, empowered to use these insights and tools long after the workshop ended.”
Training Attendee
“Carrie created such a welcoming and reflective space. You communicated everything clearly and compassionately, and whenever I was unsure about anything, you was more than happy to revisit and explain it further. That level of patience and care made a real difference to my learning experience.
I feel honoured to have been part of this course and deeply appreciative of the learning environment that was created. Thank you for such a meaningful and impactful experience.”