Shelley Cathers

Shelley is currently nearing completion of a PhD in Psychology at the University of Liverpool. Her project explores the perspectives of children, parents/caregivers and police/professionals towards police and other agencies' responses to Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE). She has provided support to vulnerable young people and adults whilst working with the National Probation Service and in an Alternative Education Provision.

As a Research Assistant at Black Box, Shelley is the lead evaluator on our 18-month evaluation of Project Connect’s Get Connected Stay Connected (GCSC) programme. She also delivers training on Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and County Lines to a wide range of frontline professionals. Alongside her evaluation and training work, Shelley has supported the development of training materials, refreshed PowerPoint content, and contributed to our wider programme of knowledge exchange. Having previously trained as an expert witness, Shelley may return to this area of work in the future as her expertise continues to develop.

Quote: My role at Black Box Research and Consultancy integrates my background in forensic psychology with a commitment to understanding social issues, including child criminal exploitation and modern slavery. I apply rigorous, person-centered methodology to every research and evaluation project ensuring our insights are reliable, actionable and meaningful. I also deliver training in these crucial areas, empowering others with the knowledge to drive success.