Research on Mothers' Experiences

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Our project is dedicated to giving mothers the opportunity to express their voices through the medium of the artist's book. Here we list researchers and organisations actively working on research to support mothers who have been through care proceedings or the adoption process. For further details on the research below, please contact the researchers.

Bolaki, S. and Davey, S., (2024). ‘Bound’ by Grief Post-Adoption: Can the Artist’s Book Assist Mothers to Tell Their Stories?. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law. 46 (3), 366-389

For Stella’s more general research on artists’ books see:

Bolaki, S. (2019) ‘Contemporary Artists’ Books and the Intimate Aesthetics of Illness’, Journal of Medical Humanities. Springer, pp. 21-39. doi: 10.1007/s10912-019-09596-4.

https://kar.kent.ac.uk/78926/

Bolaki, S. (2017) Prescriptions: Artists’ Books on Wellbeing and Medicine. Exhibition catalogue edited with Egidija Čiricaitė. London: Natrix Natrix Press, https://kar.kent.ac.uk/63664/1/Prescriptions.pdf 

Bolaki, S. and Davey, S., (2024). ‘Bound’ by Grief Post-Adoption: Can the Artist’s Book Assist Mothers to Tell Their Stories?. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law. 46 (3), 366-389

Davey, SM. and Lindsey, J., (2023). Grandparents and the Law: Rights and Relationships. Hart Publishing. 

Davey, S., (2020). Family Law. Red Globe Press. 

Davey, SM., (2020). A Failure of Proportion Non-Consensual Adoption in England and Wales. Hart Publishing. 

Deblasio, L. (2022) The Re-traumatisation of Domestic Abuse Survivors: The Problem of Mother Blaming in Public Child Law Proceedings The Re-traumatisation of Domestic Abuse Survivors: The Problem of Mother Blaming in Public Child Law Proceedings Child and Family Law Quarterly.

Deblasio, L. (2020) Adoption and the Law: The Unique Personal Experiences of Birth Mothers in Adoption Proceedings Adoption and the Law: The Unique Personal Experiences of Birth Mothers in Adoption Proceedings

Farmer, J (2024) No More Standing in the Shadows - Treating the Wounds of Historic Forced Adoption.: https://www.churchillfellowship.org/ideas-experts/ideas-library/no-more-standing-in-the-shadows-treating-the-wounds-of-historic-forced-adoption/ 

Farrar, P. (2009) Relinquishment and abjection: a semanalysis of the meaning of losing a baby to adoption. https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/pubresource/relinquishment-and-abjection-a-semanalysis-of-the-meaning-of-losing-a-baby-to-adoption/

For further details, please see Angela's website Home Page

The Centre for Child and Family Justice Research Child & Family Justice Research

Terri-Anne works for The Care Leavers' Association as a Project Worker and is passionate about breaking the cycle that sees those who were in care lose their own children into care.  For information about the charityThe  Care Leavers' Association, please visit https://www.careleavers.com

The Care Leaver's Association also have an online magazine which can be read here:

https://issuu.com/careleaversconnected/docs/july_edit_of_magazine_2_

https://movementforanadoptionapology.org/

For information about the project Keeping Mothers in Mind. Understanding the mental health needs of mothers who have children removed through the family courts, please use the following link: https://www.cfj-lancaster.org.uk/projects/keeping-mothers-in-mind-understanding-the-mental-health-needs-of-mothers-who-have-children-removed-through-the-family-courts

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sociology/people/lisa-morriss#projects

Mason, C, Taggart ,D and Broadhurst K. (2020) Parental Non-Engagement within Child Protection Services - How Can Understandings of Complex trauma and Epistemic Trust Help? https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/10/4/93

Forgotten Portrait:
https://donnaszoke.com/projects/forgotten-portrait/

36 Years of Unringing Phones:

https://donnaszoke.com/projects/36-years-of-unringing-phones/