Staff profile
Professor Simon Hackett
Professor (Director of Research)
BA (Hons), MA (Econ), CQSW, PhD, FAcSS

Affiliation | Room number | Telephone |
---|---|---|
Professor (Director of Research) in the Department of Sociology | +44 (0) 191 33 41472 | |
Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing | +44 (0) 191 33 41472 |
Biography
Current post
I am a Professor in the Department of Sociology working primarily on issues associated with child and family wellbeing, child maltreatment and sexual harm.
I teach primarily on the MSW and criminology programmes. I also have a group of research students under my supervision on areas of my research (see below). I chair Durham University's Safeguarding Operations Group.
Outside the University, I am involved in a wide range of activities relating to my areas of specialism. I am a member of the Executive Board of ATSA (www.atsa.com) and the Board of Directors of NOTA (www.nota.co.uk), two of the largest professional associations globally concerned with protecting children through improving responses to people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours.
I am Expert Adviser for the NICE Centre for Guidelines. I was member of the ESRC's Grant Assessment Panel 'B' and was previously research advisor to CAFCASS, the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and Special Advisor to the Department of Health/ NIMHE Violence and Victims of Violence and Abuse Prevention Programme. Between 2014 and 2018 I was Non-Executive Director of Doncaster Children’s Trust.
I am an elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.
Previous posts
Between January 2018 and December 2021, I was Deputy Provost and then Acting Provost at the University. In these roles, I supported the delivery of the University’s Academic Strategy with responsibilities for recruitment, progression and promotion of academic staff, Departmental and Faculty planning, and equality, diversity and inclusion across the University. I was a member of the Provost Board and, as Acting Provost, I sat on the University's Executive Committee.
Between 2011 and 2018 I was Principal of St Mary's College, one of Durham University's oldest colleges (see https://www.dur.ac.uk/st-marys.college/). Whilst in the role of Principal, between 2013-2016, I was Deputy Head (Research) of the Durham Colleges.
In 2011, I was Deputy Head of Faculty (Research) in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health at Durham. In my Faculty role, I had responsibilities for REF and the management of research across the Faculty. I chaired the Faculty Research and Ethics Committees.
Between 2008-2011, I was Head of Durham's School of Applied Social Sciences with overall responsibility for the running of the School, its degree programmes, research, budget and academic community.
I rejoined the University in September 2006 having been Professor of Child Welfare at the University of Bedfordshire and, before that, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Durham. I was previously Tutor at the University of Manchester.
Prior to working in a university setting, I was a practitioner in the child protection field. I was Programme Director and co-founder of G-MAP, one of the UK’s leading organisations working with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours. I was a Child Protection Officer with the NSPCC in Manchester for seven years and I was part of a team set up to investigate allegations of institutional abuse arising from the North Wales Child Abuse Inquiry. I also worked for several local authorities in both youth justice and child protection teams.
My research
My research relates largely to child maltreatment in its various forms and to professional responses designed to safeguard children’s welfare.
I am a member of the Advisory Board of the National Centre of Expertise in Child Sexual Abuse, funded by the Home Office and led by Barnardo's. Recent funded research projects include an evaluation of the Durham Child Advocacy Centre approach to child sexual abuse, funded by Durham Constabulary and the Home Office.
With Professor John Carpenter of the University of Bristol, I completed the largest RCT undertaken to date internationally on interventions for children who have been sexually abused, as part of a research programme funded by NSPCC.
In 2018 and 2019 I was commissioned to undertake two expert reviews for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (www.iicsa.org.uk).
In 2016, I was funded by NICE to undertake an evidence review, in conjunction with colleagues at Sheffield, on harmful sexual behaviours and I was expert member of the NICE Public Health Advisory Committee which produced national guidance on this topic, see: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-phg66.
I am first author of the NSPCC national operational framework on harmful sexual behaviours which is available at: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2019/harmful-sexual-behaviour-framework/.
With Marcella Leonard, I am co-author of the (2019) AIM3 Assessment Framework for young people who present with harmful sexual behaviours.
My educational background
I have studied at the Universities of Hull, Manchester and Durham. My first degree at the University of Hull was in modern languages (French and German). I hold a MA (Econ) in Social Policy and Social Work from the University of Manchester, as well as a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW). I hold the Durham Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (DCTHE). My PhD in Social Sciences was completed at the University of Hull on the subject of child sexual abuse.
How to contact me
The best way to contact me is by email at: simon.hackett@durham.ac.uk
Collaborations and PhD student enquiries
I collaborate with other researchers from across the world who share my interests. If you are interested in undertaking a PhD under my supervision, I would be delighted to hear from you directly about your ideas and to discuss opportunities to work with you at Durham. I have extensive supervisory experiences and a record of over 20 PhD completions. I hold the Durham University Excellence in Doctoral Supervision Award.
A list of my current and recently completed PhD supervisees is included below (see section entitled 'supervises'). Their projects are diverse and range from work on child abuse, sexual abuse and sexual offending, children and sexuality, gender, and safeguarding in the UK and internationally.
Research students who have recently successfully completed their PhDs under my supervision include: Dr Hakim Taha on physical punishment in Kurdistan; Dr Andrea Darling on women who sexually abuse in professional contexts; Dr Josie Phillips on therapeutic relationships; Dr Evgenia Stepanova on children in institutional care in Russia; Dr Sarah Greenhow on adoption; Dr Eric Baumgartner on masculinity and the youth justice system; Dr Lesley Deacon on harmful sexual behaviours in childhood; Dr Beth Casey on child neglect; Dr Chris Jones on adoptive family life; Dr Nashmi Al-Anazi on the physical punishment of children in Saudi Arabia; Dr Lukman Mohamad on child prostitution in Malaysia; Dr Abi Taylor on professional decision making; and, Dr Helen McIlveen on models of sexual health service provision. It is a privilege to have worked with such talented individuals who have made an enormous contribution to their fields.
Research interests
- Child maltreatment and safeguarding children
- Children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours
- Sexual abuse and sexual offending
- Child development
- Risk and resilience
- International comparative social welfare
- Therapeutic interventions with children
- Assessment
- User participation in social welfare
- Parenting
- Adoption and out-of-home care
Research groups
- Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse
- Violence and Abuse
Research Projects
- Mapping and Exploring Services for Children and Young People who have Sexually Abused
- An explorationof Post Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS). What is it? What are its causes? And what are adopters' experiences?
- Animal and Child Maltreatment
- Child Advocacy Project
- Evaluating Inter-professional Training for Safeguarding Children
- Letting the Future In: helping children and young people overcome the effects of sexual abuse
- Recidivism, desistence and life course trajectories of young sexual abusers
- Step Up to Social Work Longitudinal Evaluation
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Social work: Child abuse and child protection
- Criminology: Youth crime and juvenile offenders
- Aggression: Interpersonal violence
- Aggression: Sex offenders
- Social work: Adoption and parenting
- Public policy, health and well-being: Child development and welfare
Publications
Authored book
- Hackett, S. (2014). Children and Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Dartington: Research In Practice.
- Hackett, S. (2004). What works for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours?. Barkingside: Barnardo's.
- Hackett, S. (2001). Facing the Future. A guide for parents of young people who have sexually abused. Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing.
Chapter in book
- Bows, H. & Hackett, S. (2020). Sexual abuse of parents. In The SAGE Handbook of Domestic Violence. Shackelford, T. Sage. 2.
- Hackett, S. (2018). Assessing the needs of children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours. In The Child's World (Third Edition). Horwath, J. & Platt, D. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Murphy, M., Ross, K. & Hackett, S. (2017). Sexually Harmful Behaviour in Young People. In Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Meeting the Needs of Young Offenders. Bailey, S., Tarbuck, P. & Chitsabesan, P. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 121-134.
- Hackett, S. (2017). Researching Child Sexual Assault: Towards a Child Sensitive Methodology. In Research Ethics in Criminology. Dilemmas, Issues and Solutions. Cowburn, M., Gelsthorpe, L. & Wahidin, A. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. 133-149.
- Stepanova, E. & Hackett, S. (2016). Improving Institutional Care to Enhance Outcomes for Care Leavers in Russia. In Young People Transitioning from Out-of-Home Care. International Research, Policy and Practice. Mendes, P. & Snow, P. London: Palgrave Macmillan. 367-388.
- Hackett, S., Balfe, M., Masson, H. & Phillips, J. (2016). A Study of Long-term Outcomes of Children with Harmful Sexual Behaviours: Using Social Media to Reach and Engage a 'Hard-to-reach' Population. In Innovations in Social Work Research. Using Methods Creatively. Hardwick, L., Smith, R. & Worsley, A. London: Jessica Kingsley. 92-106.
- Hackett, S. (2015). Child Protection: International Issues. In International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Second Edition). Wright, J. Elsevier. 423-429.
- Hackett, S. (2012). The place that theory plays in child protection social work. In Social Work with Children and Families: Policy, Law, Theory, Research, Practice. Davies, M. Palgrave MacMillan. 121-134.
- Hackett, S. (2010). Children and Young People with Harmful Sexual behaviours. In Children Behaving Badly?: Peer Violence between Children and Young People. Barter, C. & Berridge, D. London: Blackwell Wiley.
- Hackett, S. & Taylor, A. (2008). School Responses to Children with Harmful Sexual Behaviours. In Safeguarding Children and Schools. Baginsky, M. London: Jessica Kingsley.
- Hackett, S. (2007). Just how different are they? Diversity and the treatment of young people with harmful sexual behaviours. In Working with Children and Young People Who Sexually Abuse: Taking the Field Forward. Calder, M. Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing.
- Hackett, S. (2006). A resilience based approach to young people who have sexually abused others. In Children and Young People who Sexually Abused Others: Challenges and Responses. Erooga, M. & Masson, H. London: Brunner Routledge.
- Hackett, S. (2006). The personal and professional context to work with children and young people who have sexually abused. In Children and Young People who Sexually Abused Others: Challenges and Responses. Erooga, M. & Masson, H. London: Brunner Routledge.
Edited book
- Calder, M. & Hackett, S. (2013). Assessment in child care. Using and developing frameworks for practice. Second edition. Russell House Publishing.
- Calder, M. & Hackett, S. (2003). Assessment in Child Care. Using and developing frameworks for practice. Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing.
Journal Article
- Hackett, Simon, Darling, Andrea J., Balfe, Myles, Masson, Helen & Phillips, Josie (2022). Life course outcomes and developmental pathways for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour. Journal of Sexual Aggression 1.
- Butterby, Kate & Hackett, Simon (2022). ‘It’s like we’re locked in a box’ Girls’ and mothers’ experiences of the police and legal system following child sexual abuse. Children & Society 36(1): 149-165.
- Casey, B. A. & Hackett, S. (2021). Deconstructing discourses in assessments of child neglect. British Journal of Social Work 51(6): 2097-2115.
- Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H. & Phillips, J. (2021). Young men with harmful sexual behaviour problems: a qualitative exploration of the nature and characteristics of their violence. Journal of Sexual Aggression 27(2): 139-152.
- Campbell, F., Booth, A., Hackett, S. & Sutton, A. (2020). Young people who display harmful sexual behaviors and their families: A qualitative systematic review of their experiences of professional interventions. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse 21(3): 456-469.
- Darling, A. & Hackett, S. (2020). Situational Factors in Female-Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse in Organisations: Implications for Prevention. Journal of Sexual Aggression 26(1): 5-22.
- Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H. & Phillips, J. (2019). The disrupted sociologies of young people with harmful sexual behaviours. Journal of Sexual Aggression 25(2): 177-192.
- Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H. & Phillips, J. (2019). Experiences of young people with harmful sexual behaviors in services: a qualitative study. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse 28(6): 649-666
- Darling, A., Hackett, S. & Jamie, K. (2018). Female sex offenders who abuse children whilst working in organisational settings: offending, conviction and sentencing. Journal of Sexual Aggression 24(2): 195-213.
- Fishburn, S., Meins, E., Greenhow, S., Jones, C., Hackett, S., Biehal, N., Baldwin, H., Cusworth, L. & Wade, J. (2017). Mind-Mindedness in Parents of Looked After Children. Developmental Psychology 53(10): 1954-1965.
- Jessiman, P., Hackett, S. & Carpenter, J. (2017). Children's and carers' perspectives of a therapeutic intervention for children affected by sexual abuse. Child & Family Social Work 22(2): 1024-1033.
- Greenhow, S., Hackett, S., Jones, C. & Meins, E. (2016). The Maintenance of Traditional and Technological Forms of Post-Adoption Contact. Child Abuse Review 25(5): 373-385.
- Greenhow, S., Hackett, S., Jones, C. & Meins, E. (2015). Adoptive family experiences of post-adoption contact in an Internet era. Child & Family Social Work 22(s1): 44-52.
- Hackett, S., Masson, H., Balfe, M. & Phillips, J. (2015). Community reactions to young people who have sexually abused and their families: a Shotgun blast, not a rifle shot. Children and Society 29(4): 243-254.
- Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. & Balfe, M. (2015). Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse: characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes. Child and Family Social Work 20(1): 19-29.
- Balfe, M., Gallagher, B., Masson, H., Balfe, S., Brugha, R. & Hackett, S. (2015). Internet child sex offenders’ concerns about online security and their use of identity protection technologies a review. Child abuse review 24(6): 427-439.
- Smith, C., Allardyce, S., Hackett, S., Bradbury-Jones, C., Lazenbatt, A. & Taylor, J (2014). Practice and policy in the UK with children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviours: an analysis and critical review. Journal of Sexual Aggression 20(3): 267-280.
- Stepanova, E. & Hackett, S. (2014). Understanding Care Leavers in Russia: Young People's Experiences of Institutionalisation. Australian Social Work 67(1): 118-134.
- Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. & Balfe, M. (2014). Looking back on the long-term fostering and adoption of children with harmful sexual behaviours: carers’ reflections on their experiences. British Journal of Social Work 44(8): 2200-2217.
- Hackett, S. & Taylor, A. (2014). Decision Making in Social Work with Children and Families: The Use of Experiential and Analytical Cognitive Processes. The British Journal of Social Work 44(8): 2182-2199.
- Hackett, S., Balfe, M., Masson, H. & Phillips, J. (2014). Family responses to young people who have sexually abused: anger, ambivalence and acceptance. Children and Society 28(2): 128-139.
- Hackett, S., Phillips, J., Masson, H. & Balfe, M. (2013). Individual, Family and Abuse Characteristics of 700 British Child and Adolescent Sexual Abusers. Child Abuse Review 22(4): 232–245.
- Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S. & Phillips, J. (2013). Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hard-to-Reach Population. British Journal of Social Work 43(1): 24-40.
- Hackett, S., Carpenter, J., Patsios, D. & Szilassy, E. (2013). Interprofessional and interagency training for working with young people with harmful sexual behaviours: An evaluation of outcomes. Journal of Sexual Aggression 19(3): 329-344.
- Jones, C. & Hackett. S. (2012). Redefining Family Relationships Following Adoption: Adoptive Parents' Perspectives on the Changing Nature of Kinship between Adoptees and Birth Relatives. British Journal of Social Work 42(2): 283-299.
- Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S. & Phillips, J. (2012). Making use of historical case material: the problems of looking back and the implications for service development in relation to research and evaluation activities. Journal of Sexual Aggression 18(1): 112-122.
- Jones, C. & Hackett, S. (2011). The role of ‘family practices’ and ‘displays of family’ in the creation of adoptive kinship. The British Journal of Social Work 41(1): 40-56.
- Carpenter, J., Patsios, D., Szilassy, E. & Hackett, S. (2011). Outcomes of Short Course Interprofessional Education in Parental Mental Illness and Child Protection: Self-Efficacy, Attitudes and Knowledge. Social Work Education 30(2): 195-206.
- Carpenter, J., Patsios, D., Szilassy, E. & Hackett, S. (2011). Outcomes of short course interprofessional training in parental mental illness and child protection safeguarding children self-efficacy, attitudes and knowledge. Social work education the international journal 30(2): 195-206.
- Buschman, J., Wilcox, D., Krapohl, D., Oelrich, M. & Hackett, S. (2010). Cybersex offender risk assessment. An explorative study. Journal of Sexual Aggression 16(2): 197-209.
- Vosmer, S., Hackett, S. & Callanan, M. (2009). 'Normal' and 'inappropriate' childhood sexual behaviours; findings from a Delphi study of professionals in the United Kingdom. Journal of Sexual Aggression 15(3): 275-288
- Jones, C. & Hackett, J. (2008). Communicative openness within adoptive families: adoptive parents’ narrative accounts of the challenges of adoption talk and the approaches used to manage these challenges. Adoption Quarterly 10(3-4): 157-178.
- Hackett, S., Masson, H. & Phillips, S. (2006). Exploring Consensus in Practice with Youth Who Are Sexually Abusive: Findings from a Delphi Study of Practitioner Views in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Child Maltreatment 11(2): 146-156.
- Hackett, S. & Masson, H. (2006). Young people who have sexually abused: what do they (and their parents) want from professionals? Children & Society 20(3): 183-195.
- Masson, H. & Hackett. S. (2005). The extent and nature of work with adolescents who have sexaully abused others: Results of a survey of Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales. Youth Justice 4(3): 160-177.
- Hackett. S., Matthies, A-L. & (Guest Editors) (2005). Towards research-oriented social work education in Europe. European Journal of Social Work 8(3): 245-246.
- Masson, H. & Hackett, S. (2003). A decade on from the NCH report (1992): adolescent sexual aggression, policy and service delivery across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Journal of Sexual Aggression 9(2): 1-22.
- Hackett, S., Kuronen, M., Matthies, A. & Kresal, B. (2003). The motivation, professional development and identity of social work students in four European countries. European Journal of Social Work 6(2): 163-178.
Other (Print)
- Carpenter, John., Patsios, Demi., Szilassy, Eszter. & Hackett, Simon. (2011). Connect, share and learn. Evaluating the outcomes of inter-agency training to safeguard children. Toolkit.
- Carpenter, John, Hackett, Simon, Patsios, Demi & Szilassy, Eszter (2010). Outcomes of Interagency Training to Safeguard Children: Final Report to the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health. 188.
- Hackett. S. & Uprichard, E. (2007). Animal abuse and child maltreatment: a review of literature and findings from a UK study links between animal and child maltreatment.
- Hackett, S., Masson, H. & Phillips, S. (2005). Services for Young People Who Sexually Abuse. A report on mapping and exploring services for young people who have sexually abused others.
Report
- Hackett, S. & Smith, S. (2018). Young people who engage in child sexual exploitation behaviours. An exploratory study. Ilford, Essex, Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse.
- Hackett, S. (2016). Exploring the relationship between neglect and harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people: Evidence Scope 3. Dartington, Research in Practice.
- Carpenter, J., Jessiman, P., Patsios, D., Hackett, S. & Phillips, J. (2016). Letting the Future In: A therapeutic intervention for children affected by sexual abuse and their carers: An evaluation of impact and implementation. London, NSPCC.
- Hackett, S., Holmes, D. & Branigan, P. (2016). Harmful sexual behaviour framework: An evidence-informed operational framework for children and young people displaying harmful sexual behaviours. London, NSPCC.