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Childhood and Youth

Meet the team

A warm welcome from the Childhood and Youth Higher Education team at South Devon University Centre. Our programmes focus on children and young people in a range of settings that include education, community, social care and youth justice. Our team are passionate about making a difference to the lives of children, young people and families. We possess a wealth of research and professional experience and expertise in a variety of sectors including education, youth and community, social work, youth justice and crime investigation.  Our team challenges, inspires and motivates professionals and practitioners of the future, using current academic research, industry connections and evidence-informed approaches.

Sarah Kettle-Buchanan BA (Hons), PGCE, FHEA

Main areas of teaching

  • Learning and Education
  • Special Education Needs, Disability and Inclusion
  • Literacy difficulties
  • Programme Leader and Personal Tutor:      BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies
  • Module Leader: Flourishing (L6)  and SEND Communication (L5)

Bio

Sarah is a Childhood and Youth Studies lecturer and programme lead at South Devon University Centre, where she also coordinates the Higher Education academic quality across courses. She is currently studying with Middlesex University towards PgCert in SpLD and a MEd Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy. Prior to her University teaching career, she worked in a primary school supporting SEND children with literacy and numeracy.

Lisa Rogers BA (Hons) FHEA

Main areas of teaching

  • Professional Practice and Professional identity
  • Module leader for: Professional Practice, Professional and Personal Development, Compassionate Practitioners and Leaders, Alternative Pedagogies.

Bio

Lisa is an education and childhood lecturer and programme lead at South Devon University Centre, where she also coordinates the Higher Education Children and Young People courses. She is currently studying with Leeds Beckett University and is midway through a MA in Childhood Studies and Early Years. Prior to her University teaching career, she worked as an Early Years teacher, as well as in Early Years management. She continues to maintain close links with local schools and settings through her undergraduate student’s placements. Her research interests are Professional Practice and practitioners’ construction of professional identity.

Research and scholarly activity

Published book chapter : Rogers, L. (2022). ‘A toolkit for negotiating professional identity in Early Years and Primary settings’, In Tarry, E. (ed.) Challenges in Early Years and Primary Education: Employing Critical Thinking Skills During Turbulent Times. Abingdon: Routledge.

Dr Ezekiel Chattell

Main areas of teaching

  • Professional Practice and Professional identity
  • Module leader for: Professional Practice, Professional and Personal Development, Compassionate Practitioners and Leaders, Alternative Pedagogies.

Bio

Dr Chattell teaches across the level 6 courses at South Devon University Centre and leads the dissertation modules for Childhood and Youth Studies and Social and Therapeutic Interventions.    

He has been a researcher and teacher trainer in China, developing teacher training programmes focused on creativity in Education.      

 

Research and scholarly activity

He holds a PhD is in Educational Leadership and Policy (Comparative Education). His wide range of interests include creativity in education, transformative education, teacher training and experimental learning.  

He is also a member of the Comparative Education Society of Hong Kong.  

 

Sabrina Connolly BA (Hons)

Main areas of teaching

  • Working with children, young people and families
  • Programme Leader: Education and Education
  • Module Leader: Lifespan Development

Bio

With an ambition to become a teacher, I began my academic journey some ten years after leaving formal education. Throughout my studies, I had the privilege of working in a variety of educational settings, including a forest school, a mainstream primary school and a specialist provision that supports the pastoral needs of children and young people with SEND. Currently, I teach in both the FE and HE sectors across a range of qualifications, with a particular focus on child development, inclusive education and SEND. My main passion as a teacher is to support students to achieve their own ambitions.

Research and scholarly activity

Published book chapter – Neale, A. and Connolly, S. (2022). ‘Child development and neurodiversity: Every classroom, every child and every family are unique’, in E. Tarry (ed.) Challenges in Early Years and Primary Education: Employing Critical Thinking Skills During Turbulent Times. Abingdon: Routledge.

Caroline Knight BA (Hons), MSc

Main areas of teaching

  • Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Youth Justice and Victimology
  • Policing, Young Offenders
  • Youth Justice practice and intervention
  • Multi- Agency working

Bio

I had a late start to academic life, having spent 30 years as a police officer. My police experience was in crime investigation and within specialist areas such as working with victims and child interviews. I came to South Devon College initially to take my teaching qualifications, but got bitten by the academic bug and never left. I gained a BA (Hons) in Child Development and Education and then a MSc in Criminology and Criminology Psychology. I keep myself up to date by, for example, sitting on a scrutiny panel for Devon and Cornwall police; on the Torbay Safeguarding Partners business forum and I am a safeguarding governor for a local education trust with both secondary and primary schools.

Research and scholarly activity

Published book chapter – Knight, C. (2022) ‘What are you going to do about it? Responsibility, risk, and realities; considerations for safeguarding children’. In Tarry, E. (ed.) Challenges in Early Years and Primary Education: Employing Critical Thinking Skills During Turbulent Times. Abingdon: Routledge.

Kelly Laywood BA (Hons)

Main areas of teaching

  • Working with children, young people and families

Bio

I have worked with vulnerable children, young people and families for over 14 years, working as an Anti-Social Behaviour Case Manager and a Family Intervention Project practitioner before qualifying as a Social Worker in 2014.   As a social worker I have worked within various child social care teams including a Looked After Child Team and as a supervising social worker within a local authority Fostering Service. My main interest is in Trauma Informed Practice.  I am currently  a module leader and lecturer at South Devon College and the South Devon University Centre, contributing to working with children and young people practice-based courses.

Research and scholarly activity

Published book chapter – Laywood, K. (2022) ‘Adverse Childhood Experience: How a trauma aware classroom can improve outcomes for children’. In Tarry, E. (ed.) Challenges in Early Years and Primary Education: Employing Critical Thinking Skills During Turbulent Times. Abingdon: Routledge.

Kelly Smith BA (Hons), PGCE, FHEA

Main areas of teaching

  • Professional Practice 
  • Learners and Education 
  • Social Pedagogy 
  • Representations of Childhood 
  • Wellbeing in a modern world 

Bio

I have been a part of South Devon University Centre for almost 10 years now, having first studied my FdA Early Years Care and Education, then completing my BA (Hons) Child Development and Education. I also have experience in working within primary and secondary schools.

Research and scholarly activity

Achieved Fellowship status with the Higher Education Academy. My research interests are based within educational and social policy and practice.
I in my final year of a Masters in Social Policy.