Dr. Carolyn Blackburn

Carolyn supervises post-graduate students across the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences. She is a member of the Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education. She co-leads a Communities of Practice Research Supervision group and the Cultures in Education research group.

Carolyn is involved in a number of research and consultancy projects.

Carolyn is an active doctoral examiner and chair and has examined doctoral studies in England, Ireland, Dubai, New Zealand and Australia. Carolyn welcomes requests for doctoral supervision and examination.

Qualitative research
Evaluations
Research supervision
Consultancy

Communities of Practice Research Supervision SEDA, Birmingham City University
PhD Education (Early Childhood Intervention), Birmingham City University
Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Birmingham City University
Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice, Birmingham City University
Postgraduate Certificate in Special and Inclusive Education, University of Worcester
BA (Hons) Social Sciences, University of Worcester

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Board Member of EURYLAID
Member of the Editorial Board of Infants and Young Children
Member of the International Society on Early Intervention
Member of TACTYC Association for the Professional Development of Early Years Educators
Member of the British Education Research Association
Co-convenor of the BERA Social Justice SIG

Co-facilitator: Communities of practice research supervision, SEDA accredited
Co-lead: University SEDA accredited communities of practice research supervision
Carolyn teaches about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Disability, Inclusion, Researching with Families and Interdisciplinary Practice across the Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences. She also teaches about Ethics and researching with young and developmentally young children

Carolyn is currently evaluating FosterTalk’s membership services. Recent research includes the use of photo elicitation as a strengths-based approach to assessment for young children with Down Syndrome, an exploration of the social organisation of knowledge in a conductive education centre in Birmingham, an exploration of children’s right to make choices and engage in playful activities through Singing Medicine at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and an Erasmus Plus project that aims to provide training materials for Physiotherapists working with children with Cerebral Palsy.

Carolyn welcomes applications from doctoral candidates and has previously supervised the following students to successful completion:

Dr. Shannon Ludgate – Young children’s experiences of touchscreen technology in the early years – completed 2017
Dr. Elaine Matchett – The educational experiences of children in care – completed 2020
Dr. Mine Conkbayir – The application of neuroscience in early years – completed 2020
Dr. Karolina Biernat – Nutritional outcomes of holiday food programmes – completed 2020

Carolyn currently supervises doctoral students who are researching the following topics:

Adults experiences of fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – Natalie Webster
Children’s wellbeing and play – Hannah Malpass
Children’s Rights – Alison Moore
Experiences of adoption – Rachel Jones
Inclusion in Primary Schools – Sarya Begum
Experiences of multiple birth families of transition to school – Nathalie Turville
Experiences of twins – Lara Alamad

Articles

McCARTHY, R., BLACKBURN, C., MUKHERJEE, R., FLEMING, K., ALLELY, C., KIRBY, L. and COOK, P. (2022) ‘I'm always up against a brick wall with them’: parents' experiences of accessing support for their child with a newly recognised developmental disorder. British Journal of Special Education https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.12398

BLACKBURN, C., & MATCHETT, E. (2022). ‘A little piece of my heart goes with each of them’: Foster carer reflections on current fostering practice. Adoption & Fostering, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/03085759221135203

TRANG THU, N., THU THUY, L., BLACKBURN, C., and PUTTICK, M. (2022) Towards an ecological model of inclusive practice for children with special educational needs in Vietnam: perceptions of primary school teachers. Practice: Contemporary Issues in Practitioner Education https://doi.org/10.1080/25783858.2022.2147017

LUDGATE, S., MEARS, C. and BLACKBURN C. (2021) Small steps and stronger relationships: parents' experiences of homeschooling children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs DOI: 10.1111/1471-3802.12542

VAUGHAN, S. BLACKBURN, C. and CURZON, R. (2021) Continuing conversations: Moving support for doctoral supervisors’ professional development online, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 58:6, 716-726, DOI: 10.1080/14703297.2021.1991423

SCHOLIN, L, MUKHERJEE RAS, AITON N, BLACKBURN, C et al., The UK FASD Research Collaboration, et al (2021) Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: an overview of current evidence and activities in the UK Archives of Disease in Childhood Published Online First: 13 January 2021. DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2020-320435

BLACKBURN, C and WARD, K. (2020) A conductor’s standpoint: an institutional ethnography of a conductive education centre in Birmingham, UK Contemporary Issues in Practitioner Education Volume 2, 2020 Issue Sup 1 pp 4 – 22 A conductor’s standpoint: an institutional ethnography of a conductive education centre in Birmingham, UK: PRACTICE: Vol 2, No sup1 (tandfonline.com)

BLACKBURN, C. (2020) ‘The People in the Purple Shirts’: Froebelian insights to a Singing Medicine project in a Children’s Hospital Early Childhood Research Journal https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1476718X20935158

BLACKBURN C (2019) Family members’ perceptions of a Singing Medicine project in a children’s hospital. Nursing Children and Young People. DOI: 10.7748/ncyp.2019.e1241

BLACKBURN, C and HARVEY, M (2019) ‘We weren’t prepared for this’: Parents experiences of information and support following the premature birth of their infant accepted for publication in Infants and Young Children

BLACKBURN, C. (2018) Young children’s musical activities in the home. Primary First

BLACKBURN, C., AND HARVEY. M. (2018) 'A different kind of normal': parents experiences of premature birth submitted to Early Child Development and Care 10.1080/03004430.2018.1471074

BLACKBURN, C. (2018) Hear our voice: social, cultural and contextual considerations in researching with young and developmentally young children BERA Research Intelligence Special Issue on Ethical Issues in Educational Research (invited contribution)

BLACKBURN, C (2017) Young children’s musical activities in the home. Education 3-13 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03004279.2017.1342320

YOUNG, S. ABSOUD, M., BLACKBURN, C. and others (2016) Guidelines for Identification and Treatment of Individuals with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Associated Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Based upon Expert Consensus BMC Psychiatry https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-016-1027-y

BLACKBURN, C. (2016) Early Childhood Inclusion in the United Kingdom Infants and Young Children Vol 29, Iss 3 239 – 246 doi: 10.1097/IYC.0000000000000069 http://journals.lww.com/iycjournal/Abstract/2016/07000/Early_Childhood_Inclusion_in_the_United_Kingdom.10.aspx

BLACKBURN, C. (2016) The value of relational pedagogy and professional love to early childhood intervention and child/family well being for children with complex disabilities. Conference proceedings Third International Conference on Well-Being 2016 – Co-Creating Pathways to Well-being http://bcuwellbeing.co.uk/book-of-proceedings/

BLACKBURN, C. (2016) Relationship-based early intervention services for children with complex needs: lessons from New Zealand, International Journal of Birth and Parent Education Vol (3) 27-30

BLACKBURN, C. (2016 ) Independent Evaluation of a Fostering Helpline, Implications for Policy and Fostering Practice, Adoption and Fostering Vol. 40(2) 167–178 DOI: 10.1177/0308575916640227 http://aaf.sagepub.com/content/40/2/167.abstract

BLACKBURN, C. AND AUBREY, C. (2016) Policy to Practice context to the delays and difficulties in the acquisition of speech language and communication in early years. International Journal of Early Years Education Vol 24, Iss 4 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669760.2016.1244046?src=recsys&journalCode=ciey20

Books

Blackburn, C. (2017) Developing inclusive practice for young children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A framework of knowledge and understanding for the early childhood workforce, London: Routledge

CARPENTER, B., BLACKBURN, C. and EGERTON, J. (2013) (Eds) Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. London: Routledge

BLACKBURN, C., CARPENTER, B. AND EGERTON, J. (2012) Educating Children and Young People with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders London: Routledge

Chapters in books

BLACKBURN, C. (2020) Forthcoming Recognising a FASD child in the classroom at all a stages : in Mukherjee, R. And Aiton, N. (Eds) Prevention, Recognition and Management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

BLACKBURN, C. (2020) Forthcoming Managing the child with FASD in the classroom: in Mukherjee, R. And Aiton, N. (Eds) Prevention, Recognition and Management of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

BLACKBURN, C. (2018) Young children's use of private speech in early childhood settings: moving from a deficit approach to a rights and agency approach in Twomey and Carroll (eds) Innovative research with children, play and early intervention Dublin: Lang

AUBREY, C., BLACKBURN, C., LOWE, R. AND JONES, C. (2017) The Regulated Child in Alex Owen (editor) (2017) Childhood Today: An Exploration of the Contemporary Experiences of Children, London: Sage

BLACKBURN, C. (2016) Family experiences of early intervention services for young children with speech language and communication needs in England in Hannan Sukkar, Carl Dunst and Jane Kirby (Eds) Early Childhood Intervention: Working with Families of young Children with Special Needs Evolving Families London: Routledge pp 217-236

BLACKBURN, C. (2013) Walking through a moonless night: FASD and Early Childhood Intervention in Carpenter, Blackburn and Egerton (2013) FASD and Interdisciplinary Perspectives. London: Routledge pp 102-122

Recent conference presentations:

2020

Nurture, intimacy and safeguarding in early years , Independent Association of Preparatory Schools Early Years Conference, Nottingham University, 5^th March 2020 – invited keynote

2019

Educating Children and Young People with FASD, Liverpool Special Schools Conference, November 2019, Liverpool invited keynote
Educating Children and Young People with FASD, Association for Research in Infant and Child Development 18th International Scientific Meeting ‘FASD we should do better’, Royal Society of Medicine, London, October 2019 invited keynote
Educating Children and Young People with FASD, Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, London September 2019 invited keynote
Educating Children and Young People with FASD, CORAMBAAF conference ‘What Works for Children’, London May 2019 invited keynote
Engagement approaches to participation for children with complex needs: findings from an international research project. VIIF International Early Childhood Intervention Conference Leipzib March 2019 invited keynote
Promoting children’s well-being, right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing, Froebel Trust conference ‘Stories from Research and Practice’ Roehampton University, March 2019 invited parallel session

2018

Promoting children’s well-being, right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing with Ex Cathedra vocal tutors Midlands HE and Culture Forum New Vic, Stoke 14th November 2018 invited session
Educating children with FASD, Scottish Government Child Policy Support Division, Conference on FASD, Edinburgh 7th November 2018 invited keynote
Promoting children’s well-being, right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing. Collaborative Approaches to Music and Wellbeing Conference Leeds University 8- 10th October 2018
Promoting children’s well-being, right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing. Music and Social Intervention Research Music Network Conference York St John University 6th October 2018
Educating Children with FASD The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health First Scottish conference on FASD, Glasgow, 4th October 2018 invited keynote
Blackburn, C. and the Ex Cathedra vocal tutors (2018) Promoting children’s well-being,right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing. BCU annual CSPACE conference Creativities in Education, Birmingham 3rd July 2018
The value of relational pedagogy and professional love to early intervention and child/family well being. Churchill’s Babies conference, London June 2018.invited keynote
Building Strong Partnerships between Professionals, Parents and Carers: Engaging parents in their child's learning and development (2018) Transforming Early Years Provision: Developing High Quality Settings to Enhance Life Chances Public Policy Exchange London 1st May 2018 – invited session
Educational strategies for FASD, Royal Society of Medicine Intellectual Disability Forum Annual Conference on Understanding neurodevelopmental disorder prenatal alcohol exposure (NDPAE) Royal Society of Medicine 22nd May 2018 – invited keynote
Blackburn, C., Marianne Aylingm N, Raeburn, H. and Toumi, M, (2018) Promoting children’s well-being, right to make choices and engage in playful activities in restricted environments through music and singing. Presentation to Child Health Nursing Team at Birmingham City University 25th April 2018 invited
Developmental risk from premature birth: Making the case for family centred interprofessional practice Conference on Family Centred Early Childhood Intervention. Elisabeth/Sipo, Luxembourg 9th March 2018 – invited keynote
Promoting children’s right to make choices and well-being in restricted environments, at BECERA annual conference Creativity and Critical Thinking in the Early Years, Birmingham 20th February 2018
Promoting children’s right to make choices and well-being in restricted environments, Workshop at BCU Health Conference ‘Creative Caring, 27th January 2018
Developing inclusive practice for children and families with diverse histories in the current socio-political-cultural context, Newham Annual Early Years Conference on Learning With Limits, 8th January 2018, UEL, Stratford Campus, London – invited keynote