I am an Assistant Director at the Home Office where I am responsible for developing government policy to reduce knife crime. My background in public policy is in improving outcomes for the most disadvantaged children and young people. This experience has shaped the focus of my Fellowship research: the urgent need to improve young people's mental health.

From my prior background at the Department for Education and in my role as chair of governors for a South London primary school, I have seen the effectiveness of school-based interventions to improve children's wellbeing. As young people's mental health becomes a growing cause for concern, this is a critical time to understand what forms of support work most effectively and which can best be delivered through schools.