My research focuses on the legal and ethical balance between State power and private rights, particularly in public law processes, identifying hidden vulnerabilities and unintended consequences in welfare systems. I empirically evaluate the impact of consensual and non-consensual State welfare interventions using quantitative and qualitative methods, contextual socio-legal analysis and doctrinal methods. I have completed major projects on various aspects of safeguarding and child protection systems, including referrals, assessments and care order applications. My current research focuses on trends in the child protection system, the consequences of rises in referrals, assessments and care order applications, risk, ‘big data’ and artificial intelligence in child protection, and the creation of an ethical charter where big data and AI is used in public decision making.