Janet Shucksmith

T:

01642 342969

Job title:

Assistant Dean (Research)

E:

j.shucksmith@tees.ac.uk

School/department:

School of Health & Social Care

 

 

Research institute:

Health and Social Care Institute

About Janet Shucksmith

Janet Shucksmith
Assistant Dean (Research), School of Health & Social Care
T: 01642 342969
E: j.shucksmith@tees.ac.uk
Research institute: Health and Social Care Institute

Janet Shucksmith has been Professor in Public Health at the University since October 2005. She became Assistant Dean (Research) in the School of Health & Social Care and Director of the Health and Social Care Institute in September 2008.

Within the north east, Janet leads the Teesside University's contribution to the UKCRC funded Public Health Centre of Excellence, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. She is also an Associate Director of the Scottish consortium Centre for Research on Families and Relationships. With Sharon Hamilton, she directs the Centre for Health and Social Evaluation (CHASE) at Teesside University.

Research interests

Janet is a social scientist by training, with principal research interests in children’s and young people’s health and well-being. Early longitudinal studies gave rise to a book, Young People's Leisure and Lifestyles, and a series of articles examining variations in young people's health behaviours, and the relationship of these to family patterns and parenting styles.

Subsequent qualitative studies aimed to enable young people to find a voice in discussing their own health and health education needs. A Joseph Rowntree Foundation project, for instance, explored the role of formal and informal mentoring relationships in supporting vulnerable young people. This led into more specific concerns with young people’s mental well-being.

Children and young people’s sexual health and well-being has also been an important research theme. Funding from the Chief Scientist Office in Scotland allowed Janet and colleagues in Aberdeen to undertake an evaluation of the Scottish Government’s Health Demonstration Project, Healthy Respect. Latterly, she and colleagues have been involved in a review of sexual health education in primary schools for NHS Health Scotland.

Enterprise interests

A project funded by the Scottish government and undertaken with colleagues at the University of Aberdeen examined the role of educationalists in identifying, treating or referring on into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, children who were vulnerable or symptomatic.

This work has broadened into a whole range of further projects including a review undertaken for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in 2008 on targeted mental health interventions for primary school children, used as part of the the evidence base for developing new NICE Public Health Guidance. Janet and colleagues at the Universities of Aberdeen and Southampton currently run an ESRC seminar series looking at The School as a location for the promotion and support of mental health.

Publications

View Janet Shucksmith's publications on TeesRep

In the news

• Millions risk leaving it too late to discuss dying wishes
  Fuse (Web), 14/05/2013; Evening Gazette, 14/05/2013, p.15
  Two Fuse academics based at Teesside University were hand-picked to analyse data compiled within the British Social Attitudes Survey. The findings, released to coincide with national Dying Matters Awareness Week, 13-19 May, revealed that although 70% of people say they feel comfortable talking about death, only 5% report having a living will or advance care plan, while just 11% have made written plans for their funeral.

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• Motion Disabled
  Artist Newsletter, 01/02/02011, p.16/17
  Teesside University academic Simon McKeown's creation Motion Disabled is featured. This art installation presents images of different body forms and movement stripped of their social baggage, allowing the viewer to see disability in a neutral way and question society’s headlong rush to normality. Read the article