Head of School, School of Psychology, Cardiff University

Professor Katherine Shelton is a developmental psychologist with interests in the emergence and maintenance of developmental psychopathology in social contexts during childhood and adolescence. She is particularly interested in the relationship between aspects of family functioning and children’s psychological well-being.

Katherine's current research includes working with Professor Rachel Hiller (University College London) and Professor Lisa Holmes (University of Sussex) on an MRC-funded study (Rethink) investigating the psychological mechanisms that chacterise transitions for care-experienced young people. She leads the Wales Adoption Cohort Study, now in its 6th wave of data collection, which focuses on the experiences and well-being of families in the years following an adoptive placement. This research study provided the evidence base for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with St. David's Children Society to embed an innovative model of service delivery for adoptive families: Adopting Together: supporting the adoption of children who wait the longest - School of Psychology - Cardiff University