Experience
Publications, portfolio and testimonials
Publications
Some of our work has been published and can be viewed online:
Issues, challenges and opportunities for trauma-informed practice
HM Inspectorate of Probation, 2023
A qualitative study of the impact of COVID-19 on prison healthcare in England: "It was really poor prior to the pandemic, it got really bad after”
Health & Justice, 2023
A qualitative exploration of the role of employment in desistance and subsequent identity change – ex-prisoners’ lived experiences
The Journal of Forensic Practice, 2022
Child sexual abuse in contemporary institutional contexts: An analysis of Disclosure and Barring Service discretionary case files
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, 2021
An explorative study of perpetrators of child sexual exploitation convicted alongside others
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, 2020
Safe Inside? Child Sexual Abuse in the Youth Secure Estate
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, 2019
Understanding Recovery; The Perspective of Substance Misusing Offenders
Drugs and Alcohol Today, 2016
Self-determination in rehabilitation: a qualitative case study of three young offenders on community orders
British Journal of Forensic Practice, 2012
Blended Supervision Model Evaluation
Ministry of Justice, 2024
Tackling Drug Misuse in Prisons: A qualitative study into the lived experience of drug testing and Incentivised Substance Free Living wings (ISFLs) in three prisons
Ministry of Justice, 2024
Portfolio
We have been involved in range of different projects commissioned solely as ATD or in partnership with other organisations, including:
Ministry of Justice work:
Evaluation of Prison Leaver Programme - MOJ with TONIC, University of Kent
Evaluation of Probation’s Blended Supervision Model - MOJ with TONIC, Get the Data, User Voice
Evaluation of Next Generation of Accredited Programmes Design Test and Early Adopter - MOJ with TONIC and IPSOS
Home Office and Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA):
Conducting primary research on perceived risk of child sexual abuse in the youth secure estate with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse - IICSA
Conducting primary research with perpetrators of child sexual exploitation in organised networks - IICSA
Conducting qualitative case file analysis of DBS records, exploring institutional child sexual abuse - IICSA
Evaluating the needs of BAME and LGBTQ perpetrators of domestic Home Office abuse and the relevance of current programmes - Home Office
Substance Misuse and Health:
Evaluation of ‘ten prisons project’ - NHS England
Evaluation of mandatory drug testing and ISFL wings - RAND Europe and Ministry of Justice
Consultation on Transfer and Remission between prison and secure hospital settings - NHS England
Multiple national substance misuse needs assessments across community and prison settings - Public Health England
An evaluation of Drug Market economy in Southampton and Portsmouth - Public Health
Evaluating a community rehabilitation project for substance misusing adults - Public Health Essex
Evaluating a steroid project in the community in partnership with the University of Essex and Big Lottery- Open Road
EHRC funded research project into impact of COVID on prison healthcare - University of York
Evaluation of Street Triage - Public Health Essex
Police Projects:
An evaluation of TOPAZ CSE and CCE service - University of West England/ Avon and Somerset Police
Evaluation of Avon and Somerset’s First Line Leadership programme - University of West England/Avon and Somerset Police
Policing approaches to violence against sex workers; exploring the dynamics of trust and disclosure, investigative approaches, identification of risk and implications for safeguarding- University of West England/ Gwent Police
Trauma Informed Care for people with sexual convictions:
Qualitative research on trauma informed care for individuals with sexual convictions; subsequent international presentations on this and roundtable events with HMPPS - University of West England
Feasibility Study to inform a prevention service for people with sexual thoughts about children - Circles South West
Offenders with complex and additional needs:
The experiences of disabled ex defendants with neurological conditions, mental health problems and cognitive impairments inEngland and Wales- Equalities and Human Rights Commission
Local evaluator for Changing Futures a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) initiative - Public Health Essex
Evaluation of Offenders with Complex Needs Service - Public Health Essex
Evaluation of vulnerable victims service - Public Health Essex
Evaluating the impact of three PREVENT projects in Bradford - City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Children and Young People:
Exploration into the risk and protective factors for children leaving care, around violence and exploitation - West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit
Needs Assessment into Child Criminal Exploitation - West Mercia PCC
Needs Assessment for Medway Secure School - NHS England
Women in the Justice System:
Evaluation of Soteria - a service for women in the justice system who have experienced domestic abuse - West Mercia Women's Aid
Needs Assessment for Mother's who have had multiple children removed from their care - Medway Public Health
Modern Slavery
Evaluation of Organised Immigration Crime Victim Navigator role - Justice and Care
Evaluation and impact assessment of Victim Navigator role to support victims of modern slavery - Justice and Care
Evaluation of SafePlace - West Midlands Anti-Slavery Network
Customers
Organisations we have worked with:
Universities we have worked with:
Testimonials
What people say about us
“I’d just like to say I am extremely pleased with your report, findings and the high quality of your work. I am sure we will work with you again in the future.”
Executive Director West Midlands Anti-Slavery Network
“I just wanted to email you to say thank you ever so much for the training that you ran on Wednesday. I found this very helpful training. I am sitting at my desk this afternoon and planning how I can implement this training onto my wards. I found it very practically useful and motivating!”
Partnerships in Care
“Sarah has always held a passion for giving voice to marginalised or under-represented groups of people and enhancing the effectiveness of offender rehabilitation in the UK. She’s ambitious and highly motivated to achieve, thoughtful, reflective of her own experiences and needs and those of others, articulate, an empathic listener, and presents as warm, engaging and genuinely interested in other people. Her drive for knowledge is evidenced in her academic achievements but also taking a brave move to set up her own (successful) research and consultancy business, with an emphasis on discovery and enhancing service provision. In my view, she has a strong set of skills spanning academic psychology, multidisciplinary team working, applied psychological practice in the criminal justice system, consultancy, research (including dissemination), delivery of training, working with partners to generate solutions to problems, and business organisation and management.”
Dr Emily Glorney, Registered Forensic Psychologist, Royal Holloway
“Thanks for an excellent and thought provoking workshop.”
Senior Client Service Manager, Home Group
“The trainer from ATD was excellent - engaging and thoughtful, with good pace and she invited discussion appropriately.”
Delegate at British Psychological Society Training
“I have worked with Sarah (Director of ATD) and commissioned research and evaluation from her over a number of years. She is a joy to work with, brings a huge amount of experience and knowledge with her, she is committed to truly engaging with those for whom services are commissioned and the “product” she provides is always of the highest quality and completely honest in its presentation of findings.”
Ben Hughes, Head of Commissioning, Public Health and Wellbeing, Essex County Council
“Open Road has had a longstanding professional relationship with Dr Sarah Senker for many years, from her time working alongside Open Road’s frontline teams to our charity commissioning Sarah to independently evaluate Open Road for our first impact report. Sarah has always been highly professional and focused in her approach and has been a pleasure to work with. We would be delighted to work with Sarah in the future, if the opportunity were to arise.”
Sarah Wright, Chief Executive Open Road Visions