Carlene Firmin facts for kids

Carlene Firmin is a British social researcher and writer. She studies how young people are affected by violence. She created an important idea called Contextual Safeguarding. She also started a group called the MsUnderstood Partnership. Today, she is a professor of sociology at Durham University.

About Carlene Firmin

Carlene Firmin was born in 1983 or 1984. She grew up in London and went to St Michael's Catholic Grammar School. She then studied philosophy at Fitzwilliam College, which is part of the University of Cambridge. Later, she earned a master's degree in social policy from the London School of Economics. She also completed a special doctorate degree at the University of Bedfordshire. Her research for this degree looked at how young people can hurt each other. It also explored how to keep young people safe in different places, not just at home.

Her Work and Career

Carlene Firmin has worked in many important roles. She was a senior policy officer at Race on the Agenda (ROTA). There, she started a project called GAG, which focused on girls affected by gangs. She also worked at Barnardos, where she helped young people involved in the justice system. She advised the Children's Commissioner for England. She also led a big investigation into how groups and gangs exploit children.

Between 2011 and 2014, she wrote a regular column. It was called "Girl in the Corner" and appeared in The Guardian newspaper.

The MsUnderstood Partnership

In 2013, Carlene Firmin started the MsUnderstood Partnership. This project works with other groups like Girls in Gangs and Imkaan. It also partners with the University of Bedfordshire. The main goal of this partnership is to make things better for young people. It helps local and national groups respond to the challenges young people face. This includes dealing with unfairness and inequality.

What is Contextual Safeguarding?

Carlene Firmin created the idea of Contextual Safeguarding. This is a way of protecting teenagers from dangers outside their homes. It looks at risks in places like schools, neighborhoods, and online. It helps adults understand that young people can face harm from friends or in public spaces. This approach helps keep young people safe in all parts of their lives.

Until 2021, Carlene Firmin was a senior researcher at the University of Bedfordshire. In September 2021, she became a professor of sociology at Durham University. This was a big achievement. She was one of only 40 Black female professors in the UK at that time. She was also one of the youngest ever to become a professor. She now leads the Contextual Safeguarding team at Durham University.

Awards and Recognition

Carlene Firmin received an award called an MBE in 2011. MBE stands for Member of the Order of the British Empire. She received it for her work helping girls and women. At the time, she was the youngest Black woman to ever receive this special honor.

External links

• Contextual Safeguarding: Re-writing the rules of child protection (TEDx Talk, 2019)