Research

Welcome to the research carried out in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work. We are a vibrant and diverse group of colleagues coming from five different disciplines - Criminology, Education, Social Policy, Social Work and Sociology. Through our research we share a common purpose - to bring about positive change through lasting impact that is focused on improving people’s lives.

We work closely with schools, social services, health services, youth services, criminal justice settings, charities, professional bodies, government departments, people with lived experience and international partners, to name a few. Together we identify challenges and drive forward research projects that seek to address complex and challenging circumstances and contexts.

Our research centres provide a focal point for research activities and demonstrate the breadth and strength of our research portfolio. we are proud of this depth and breadth. We are also proud of the impact that our research makes – from influencing policy makers, informing professional practice, to inspiring new lines of enquiry and new ways of thinking, seeing and doing.

Thank you for visiting our research webpages. Please explore our work, read about our research centres, meet our researchers, and discover how our research projects are making a positive change to people’s lives.

Karen Winter
Professor of Children’s Social Care
Director of Research for SSESW

12th

in the UK for Social Work and Social Policy

REF 2021/ Times Higher Education Subject Rankings

16th

in the UK for Education

REF 2021/ Times Higher Education Subject Rankings

7th

in the UK for Research Quality for Social Policy

Complete University Guide 2025

CENTRE FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE RIGHTS

CENTRE FOR SHARED EDUCATION

WORKING TOGETHER FOR LEARNING

aerial view of two large groups of quotation mark shapes made up of tiny human figures

CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE EDUCATION RESEARCH

LANGUAGE MATTERS...FOR EVERYONE

CENTRE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, MENTAL HEALTH AND EDUCATION

FOCUSING ON THE AFFORDANCES AND CHALLENGES OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

CENTRE FOR CHILD, YOUTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

DEVELOPING NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES TO PROMOTE IMPROVED WELFARE OUTCOMES

CENTRE FOR INCLUSION, TRANSFORMATION AND EQUALITY

HIGHLIGHTING INEQUALITY, PROMOTING INCLUSION

ARK - NORTHERN IRELAND'S SOCIAL POLICY HUB

ARK is Northern Ireland’s social policy hub. The hub was established in 2000 by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, its primary goal is to increase the accessibility and use of academic data and research.

INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (ICCJ)

The ICCJ promotes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding criminology and criminal justice to improve policy, practice and people's lives.

MITCHELL INSTITUTE

The Senator George J. Mitchell Institute For Global Peace, Security And Justice strives to create dialogue within which all voices can be heard and to underpin the pursuit of peace through world class research. The Institute connects the perspectives of all those who seek to contribute to conflict transformation and social justice – from the insights of world leading researchers to the experience of practitioners, policy makers, politicians and activists.

QUEEN'S COMMUNITIES AND PLACE

Queen's Communities and Place was launched in 2021 by researchers from Queen's and the Market Development Association (MDA) and is a community-academic partnership that aims to find better solutions for tackling disadvantage and improving outcomes for children, young-people and communities.