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Autumn Roesch-Marsh

Current Research and Teaching Interests

I am currently coordinator for the course Understanding Care and Control which runs in the first year of the Masters in Social Work and the third year of the BSc in Social Work.  This course involves engagment with care and control themes across social work specialisms including criminal justice, children and families, and community care.  I also teach on other courses including Doing Social Work Research.

I am also Co-Director for the Master of Public Policy.  This is a professional, 15-month programme designed for graduates of social science degrees who want an advanced professional qualification that will provide a launch-pad for a career in the public sector, nonprofit sector or international policy community.

My research interests include: residential child care and looked after children, social work judgement and decision making, gender, and risk assessment and risk management.  I am currently supervising a small study looking at alternatives to secure accommodation for girls and young women in Scotland.  I am also working with SCCPN on a knowledge exchange seminar series aimed at developing practice with young people affected by abuse and neglect which is funded by the RS MacDonald Trust. For more information on this seminar series please see the Social Work Seminar and Events page.

Career History

I moved to Scotland from the USA after completing my undergraduate degree at Georgetown University.  I worked for a number of years in the voluntary sector before undertaking a Masters in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh.  After qualifying as a social worker I worked in various settings including residential care, the community and school based settings.  I have experience of teaching in both the further education and higher education sector and I recently completed my PhD in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh.  I continue to do some independent assessment work. 

Recent Publications

Roesch-Marsh, A. (forthcoming)  Behaviour as communication: understanding the needs of neglected and abused adolescents.  Stirling: WithScotland. 

Roesch-Marsh, A.  (forthcoming)  Risk assessment and secure accommodation decision making in Scotland:  Taking account of gender? Child Abuse Review 

Mitchell, F., Roesch-Marsh, A. and Robb, L. (2012) Taking stock of alternatives to secure accommodation or custody for girls and young women in Scotland.  Edinburgh: CJSW.

Roesch-Marsh, A (2012) 'Out of Control':Making Sense of the Behaviour of Young People Referred to Secure Accommodation.  British Journal of Social Work, doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcs102.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2011) Better Together? Learning lessons for group decision-making practice from a study of secure accommodation in Scotland.  Child and Family Social Work.

Helm, D. and Roesch-Marsh, A. (2011) Ecology of Judgement in Child Welfare and Protection: A Seminar Report.  Stirling: Scottish Child Care and Protection Network. 

Roesch-Marsh, A., Gadda, A. and Smith, D. (2011) ‘It’s a tricky business’: The impact of identity work in negotiating research access, Qualitative Social Work. 

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2010) Risky Enough? Perspectives on Responding to ‘Risky’ Behaviour.  Paper Presented at Annual Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare Conference, Aviemore, UK, 9 June 2010.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2010) Social Work Decision Making: A systems outcome? Paper presented at the Annual British Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK, 7 April 2010.

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2007)  Risk Discourses and the Construction of Young People Who Are Considered for Secure Accommodation in Scotland.  Paper Presented at International Conference: Working with Young People At De Monfort University, Leicester, UK, 15 June 2007.

Roesch-Marsh, A and Morton, S (2007) Impact Study: ESRC Sponsored ‘Knowledge-exchange’ Seminar Series 2006.  University of Edinburgh Child and Youth Studies Network. 

Roesch-Marsh, A. (2005)  Good enough care?  Looking after sexually abused young people in residential care.  Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, Vol. 4, No. 1, February/ March pp. 45-58. 

Topics interested in supervising

I am particularly interested in supervising PhD students interested in researching topics related to looked after children, child and family social work, social work decision making and organisational culture in social service and social welfare organisations.

If you are interested in being supervised by Autumn Roesch-Marsh, please see the links below for more information:

This page was published on 29 October 2012