Dr Sophie King-Hill

• PhD (Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham)
• M.Ed in Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (School of Education, University of Birmingham)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Research Methods and Skills (University of Birmingham)
• Post Graduate Certificate Research Methods (University of Birmingham)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (University of Worcester)
• BA Honours Degree in Education Studies (University of Worcester)
• Higher National Diploma in Antenatal Education (University of Bedford)
• Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (University of Worcester)

Sophie is a Senior Fellow in the Health Services Management Centre. Previously, she was a Senior Lecturer in Education and Inclusion at the University of Worcester. Alongside this she was a regional tutor for the MEd in Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties with the School of Education at the University of Birmingham.

Sophie has worked extensively in the third sector. She has taught sex and relationships in schools across the West Midlands  and was the National Impact Coordinator for a leading sexual health charity for children and young people. In her work with a local council she researched, implemented and evaluated an Independent Travel Training programme for children and young people with SEN, this programme is still currently in operation and is deemed as best practice in this sector. Within her career Sophie has worked with many diverse groups across education and health settings. Sophie developed an accredited programme for teenage parents across the West Midlands which ran for six years in conjunction with working as an antenatal teacher specialising in teaching diverse and low-socio economic groups.

Sophie currently teaches on the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson programme which consists of the NHS Leadership Academy award in Senior Healthcare Leadership and the MSc in Healthcare Leadership.

PhD Supervision Interests

Sexual Health in children and young people
Sexual behaviours in children and young people
Evaluation of policy and programmes
Social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

Sophie is currently supervising:

Abby Gilsenan: Beyond ‘Good Catholic Girls’: Exploring the Role of Statutory RSE in Young Women’s Constructions of Sexual Agency in Catholic Schools.

Nikita Sowan: Stigma and prejudice amongst female South Asian survivors of sexual violence

Sophie’s research interests include sexual behaviours in children and young people, first point assessment for sexual behaviours in children and young people, sexual health, teenage parents, LGBTQ+ and gender issues. Sophie has an interest in both policy, evaluation and the impact of context.

Current projects:

RCEW National Project on Sibling Sexual Abuse | SARSAS

Sophie was one of the leads for the National Rape Crisis England and Wales Sibling Sexual Abuse Project. In partnership with Purple Leaf and Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support, the University of the West of England and West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre. Sophie oversaw the research and work on the provision of suitable support services and pathways for children from the age of five who have carried out or survived sibling sexual abuse.  Funded by the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.

Research grant for project to assess sexual behaviours in children and young people aged 13-18 in the UK

Sophie currently holds an ESRC New Investigators Grant as principle investigator (£300k, June 2022- June 2024). This research intends to explore what constitutes normal, problematic, abusive and violent sexual behaviours in children and young people in the UK aged 13-18. This data will then be used to develop an assessment tool for professionals working with children and young people. This is in collaboration with Brook Charity and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation. This project has also featured in TES magazine Why sex education in schools is flawed | Tes

Assessing Sibling Sexual Abuse: Pilot Project 

Sophie is currently the holder of ESRC Impact Acceleration Account funding. Sophie is leading this project that will build on the research from the previous work she has carried out on sibling sexual abuse. This project will explore piloting an assessment/screening tool with a range of professional organisations who work directly with CYP and sibling sexual abuse. This will follow on from the work previously carried out by Sophie and will also bring together work by  Prof. Kieran McCartan at UWE - whose research explored adult survivors of SSA - and the work carried out by Allardyce and Yates (2021) for the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse.

'We're in this together' Sexual harassment in schools: A boys voice

Sophie has received seed funding from the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account along with Dr. Daniel Vyleta from the Department of Film and Creative Writing to explore the importance of the voice of boys when considering sexual harrassment in schools. The aim of this is to help identify ways in which the voices of young men articulating their views of sex and sexuality, masculinity, gender and rape culture can be captured and represented in an effective manner that at the same time protects their safety/anonymity. This project intends to plan the next steps for producing a resource that can be used within an educational setting to change the dialogue across genders.

Sophie is on the Policy and Practice Committee for the National Organisation for the Treatment of Sexual Abuse.