The team is led by Prof Liz Forbat, based at the University of Stirling. Liz is a research psychologist with over two decades of research in serious health and palliative care. She is also a practicing therapist, specialising in working with families affected by serious illness.
Dr Jo Alexander is the study research fellow, based at the University of Stirling. For the last ten years she has been involved in local, national, and international research projects, evaluations, and audits, and now specialises in conducting sensitive qualitative research. Jo is a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society and an Accredited Member of the International Society for Coaching Psychology.
Tim Sedgley is the study research assistant, based at the University of Stirling. Tim is a registered nurse with over 30 years of broad clinical and senior management experience. He lectures on undergraduate nursing and allied healthcare programmes, and has an interest in evidence-based practice.
Dr Laurence Lessard-Phillips is an Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham, based in the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology and linked to the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS). Her research interests are include how we think about and measure migration, and ideas like integration. She is interested in migrant and ethnic inequalities. She has led, and participated in several research projects linked to her interests and published various papers on these topics.
Helen Barnard is Director of Policy, Research and Impact at the Trussell Trust. She was formerly Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Research and Policy Director at Pro Bono Economics. She is a leading national expert on poverty, inequality and social policy. Her extensive body of research and policy work have covered poverty, destitution, labour markets, housing, social security and civil society. She is author of ‘Want (Giants: a new Beveridge Report)’ which examines modern day poverty and the institutions and reforms required to address it.
The academic/policy team is supported by four people with lived experience.
They have chosen not to have their names and photos on the project website, reflecting the level of worry that migrants in the UK have of their status and safety.
The research team will work closely with them throughout, and ensure that all participants feel safe in this study.