Shilla Shomai

PhD student

Contact Details

email: shos1_22@uni.worc.ac.uk

Shilla Shomai is a full-time PhD student in Social Policy and Social Work within the School of Allied Health and Social Care at the University of Worcester.

Her research project examines care leavers’ experiences and challenges of parenting. The purpose of her research is to further examine the challenges care leavers face in parenthood, determine the accessibility of the support services offered to them and identify opportunities for improvement.

Shilla is a member of the International Research Network on Transitions to Adulthood from Care, which promotes national and international research on transitioning care to adulthood (care-leaving). She is also a member of the Care Leavers as Parents thematic interest group, which brings together researchers interested in care leavers and their experiences as parents and in the transition to parenthood.

Her supervisors are Dr Peter Unwin and Dr Clive Sealey.

Prior to commencing Her PhD, Shilla used her experience of overcoming hardship pre-care, in-care and post-care to influence governmental policies and practice whilst advancing the educational and social outcomes for care-experienced young people and care leavers in Scotland. Shilla is passionate about amplifying the voices of care leavers and connecting theory and practice to benefit those affected by social policies.