Emerita Professor Helen Masson

Current Post

Emerita Professor of Social Work, School of Human and Health Sciences, Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, University of Huddersfield.

Career History

• 2008 - 2012 Professor of Social Work, University of Huddersfield
• 2003 - 2008 Reader in Social Work, University of Huddersfield
• 1995 – 1998 Half time secondment to CCETSW as Social Work Education Adviser
• 1991 - 2003 Principal Lecturer in Social Work, University of Huddersfield
• 1987 – 1988 Full-time secondment as team member
  Rochdale NSPCC Child Protection Team
• 1978 - 1991 Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Huddersfield Polytechnic
• 1976 – 1978 Lecturer in Social Work, Huddersfield Polytechnic
• 1974 – 1976 Senior Practitioner (specialist in work with adolescents)
  London Borough of Wandsworth Social Services Department
• 1971 – 1974 Generic Social Worker
  London Borough of Wandsworth, Social Services Department
• 1969 – 1970 Trainee Social Worker
  Nottinghamshire County Council, Children’s Department

Three Key Achievements

1. My internal and external contributions to the development of social work qualifying and post-qualifying education nationally, via course and divisional leaderships, a three year secondment to the CCETSW (Central Council for Education and Training in Social work) as a social work advisor in the late 1990s and my appointment as Chair of the National Standing Conference of PQ Child Care Programmes from 2002 to 2004;
    
2. My pioneering research record in the study of sexual abuse by children and young people leading to external research grants amounting to some £500,000 and involving collaboration with colleagues at Durham University, numerous solo and joint authored publications, invitations to speak at national and international conferences and various involvements with NOTA, the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers, including a 6 year co-editorship from 1998 to 2003 of the Journal of Sexual Aggression published by Taylor and Francis for NOTA;
    
3. My co-editorship, with Professor Eric Blyth, of the British Journal of Social Work from 2004 to 2010. This is the most prestigious social work academic journal in the UK, with an international reputation. In the Journal Citation Reports, published annually as part of the Social Citation Index by ISI, it is recorded that during the period of our co-editorship, the journal’s impact factor rose from .636 (15th out of 28 ranked journals globally) to 1.524 (5th out of 36 ranked journals globally).

November 2007ff - Co-investigator (with Simon Hackett at Durham University) of 2 year ESRC funded project ‘Recidivism, desistance and life course trajectories of young sexual abusers: An in-depth follow-up study, 10 years on’. Now involved in dissemination activities. £420,000 Award.

2013

Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. and Balfe, M. (2013) ‘Looking back on the long term fostering and adoption of children with harmful sexual behaviours: carers’ reflections on their experiences’ British Journal of Social Work . ISSN 0045-3102

Hackett, S., Masson, H., Balfe, M. and Phillips, J. (2013) ‘Individual, Family and Abuse Characteristics of 700 British Child and Adolescent Sexual Abusers’ Child Abuse Review . ISSN 0952-9136

2012

Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. and Balfe, M. (2012) ‘Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse – characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes’ Child and Family Social Work . ISSN 1356-7500

Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S. and Phillips, J. (2012) ‘Making use of historical case material – the problems of looking back and the implications for service development in relation to research and evaluation activities’ Journal of Sexual Aggression . ISSN 1355-2600

Hackett, S., Masson, H., Balfe, M. and Phillips, J. (2012) ‘Individual, family and abuse characteristics of 700 British child and adolescent sexual abusers’ Child Abuse Review . ISSN 0952-9136

Hackett, S., Balfe, M., Masson, H. and Phillips, J. (2012) ‘Family responses to young people who have sexually abused: anger, ambivalence and acceptance’ Children and Society . ISSN 0951-0605

2011

Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S. and Phillips, J. (2011) ‘Lost without a trace? Social networking and social research with a hard-to-reach population’ British Journal of Social Work . ISSN 0045-3102

2010

Blyth, E., Shardlow, S., Lyons, K., Masson, H., Shaw, I. and White, S. (2010) ‘Measuring the quality of peer-reviewed publications in social work: Impact factors - liberation or liability? ’ Social Work Education , 29 (2), pp. 120-136. ISSN 0261-5479

2009

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2009) ‘Editorial: British Journal of Social Work 39(8)’ British Journal of Social Work , 39 (8), pp. 1423-1426. ISSN 0045-3102

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2009) ‘Editorial: British Journal of Social Work 39(5)’ British Journal of Social Work , 39 (5), pp. 785-788. ISSN 0045-3102

Masson, H (2009) ‘Researching policy and practice developments in relation to children and young people with sexual behaviour problems’. In: Inaugural lecture as Visiting Professor, 3rd March 2009, Leeds Metropolitan University

2008

Hall, C., Gibbs, G., Balen, R., Masson, H. and Rodriguez, A. (2008) ‘The usefulness of coding in the Victoria Climbie Data Corpus: a reply to Taylor’ Qualitative Research , 8 (5), pp. 635-640. ISSN 14687941

Masson, H., Frost, N. and Parton, N. (2008) ‘Reflections from the ‘frontline’: social workers' experiences of post-qualifying child care training and their current work practices in the new children's services ’ Journal of Children's Services , 3 (3), pp. 54-64. ISSN 1746-6660

Balen, R. and Masson, H. (2008) ‘The Victoria Climbié case: social work education for practice in children and families' work before and since’ Child and Family Social Work , 13 (2), pp. 121-132. ISSN 1356-7500

2007

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2007) ‘Editorial: British Journal of Social Work 38(8)’ British Journal of Social Work , 38 (8), pp. 1459-1462. ISSN 0045-3102

Masson, H (2007) ‘Striking a balance, review of workshop’ NOTA News , 57, p. 5.

Masson, H (2007) ‘Workshop on young sexual abusers’. In: International Child Protection Conference - Safeguarding Children? Current Debates – Future Prospects, 6th-7th September 2007, University of Huddersfield

Masson, H (2007) ‘Workshop on young sexual abusers’. In: Work with Young People, 14th-15th June 2007, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

Masson, H (2007) ‘Policy, practice and service delivery: findings from a 2 year study’. In: Policy Spotlight Conference, 22nd May 2007, London

2006

Blyth, E., Bywaters, P. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Editorial: British Journal of Social Work 38(5)’ British Journal of Social Work , 38 (5), pp. 839-842. ISSN 0045-3102

Hackett, S. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Young people who have sexually abused: what do they (and their parents) want from professionals?’ Children and Society , 20 (3), pp. 183-195. ISSN 0951-0605

Masson, H (2006) ‘Book review: Counselling and support services for young people aged 12-16 who have experienced sexual abuse, Mary Baginsky (Ed.), (2001)’ Journal of Sexual Aggression , 12 (1), pp. 76-77. ISSN 1355-2600

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Editorial: British Journal of Social Work 38(2)’ British Journal of Social Work , 38 (2), pp. 215-217. ISSN 0045-3102

Erooga, M. and Masson, H. (2006) Children and young people who sexually abuse others: current developments and practice responses (2nd edition) . London: Routledge . ISBN 0415354137

Hackett, S., Masson, H. and Phillips, S. (2006) ‘Exploring consensus in practice with youth who are sexually abusive: findings from a Delphi study of practitioner views in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland’ Child Maltreatment , 11 (2), pp. 146-156. ISSN 1077-5595

Masson, H (2006) ‘Policy, law and organisational contexts in the United Kingdom ’. In: Children and Young People Who Sexually Abuse Others: Current Developments and Practice Responses. London: Routledge. pp. 18-30. ISBN 978-0-415-35412-7

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Editorial’ British Journal of Social Work , 37 (2), pp. 183-185. ISSN 00453102

Blyth, E. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Editorial’ British Journal of Social Work , 36 (8), pp. 1267-1270. ISSN 00453102

Erooga, M. and Masson, H. (2006) ‘Children and young people with sexually harmful or abusive behaviours ’. In: Children and Young People Who Sexually Abuse Others: Current Developments and Practice Responses. London: Routledge. pp. 3-17. ISBN 978-0-415-35412-7

2005

Balen, R., Gibbs, G., Hall, C., Masson, H. and Teal, A. (2005) ‘Establishing an accessible data corpus based on evidence to the Victoria Climbié inquiry’. In: Online Qualitative Data Resources: Best Practice in Metadata Creation and Web Standards: ESDS Workshop, 15th November 2005, Centre Point, London

Masson, H (2005) ‘Book review: Children and Young People who Sexually Abuse: New Theory, Research and Practice Developments, Martin Calder (ed.) (2005)’ Child & Family Social Work , 10 (3), p. 250. ISSN 1356-7500

Hackett, S., Masson, H. and Phillips, S. (2005) Services for young people who sexually abuse England: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales

2004

Masson, H (2004) ‘Juvenile sex offenders: researching policy, procedures and services in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI)’. In: 8th International Conference of (IATSO), 6th - 9th October 2004, Athens, Greece

Balen, R., Gabb, J., Gibbs, G., Hall, C., Hanson, S., Masson, H. and Teal, A. (2004) ‘How can we learn from an Inquiry into the death of a child?’. In: ISPCAN 15th International Congress on Child Abuse & Neglect, 19-22 September, 2004, Brisbane, Australia

Masson, H (2004) ‘Young Sex Offenders’. In: Managing Sex Offender Risk. : Jessica Kingsley Publishers. pp. 65-87. ISBN 9781843101970

Masson, H (2004) ‘Young sex offenders’. In: Managing sex offender risk: research. London: Jessica Kingsley. pp. 65-87. ISBN 978-1-84310-197-0

Masson, H. and Hackett, S. (2004) ‘The Extent and Nature of Work with Adolescents Who Have Sexual Behaviour Problems: Findings from a Survey of Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales’ Youth Justice , 4 (3), pp. 160-177. ISSN 1473-2254

Masson, H (2004) Children and Young People Who Sexually Abuse Others: policy and practice developments since the early 1990s . Birmingham: British Society of Social Workers . ISBN 1-86178-0672

2003

Masson, H (2003) ‘Book review: Facing the future: A guide for parents of young people who have sexually abused by Simon Hackett (2001)’ Journal of Sexual Aggression , 9 (1), pp. 73-74. ISSN 1355-2600

Masson, H (2003) ‘Children and young people who have sexually abused - issues of policy and service delivery’ Youth and Policy (78), pp. 46-63. ISSN 0262-9798

2002

Masson, H (2002) ‘Book Review: The Child's World. Assessing Children in Need, edited by J. Horwath (2001) ’ Child Abuse Review , 11 (2), pp. 128-129. ISSN 0952-9136

Green, L. and Masson, H. (2002) ‘Adolescents who sexually abuse and residential accommodation: issues of risk and vulnerability ’ British Journal of Social Work , 32, pp. 149-168. ISSN 0045-3102

2000

Masson, H (2000) Children and young people who sexually abuse : a study of a decade of growing recognition and uncertain development Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield.

1999

Erooga, M. and Masson, H. (1999) Children and young people who sexually abuse others: challenges and responses . London: Routledge . ISBN 9780415196048

Masson, H. and Erooga, M. (1999) ‘Children and young people who sexually abuse others: incidence, characteristics and causation’. In: Children and young people who sexually abuse others: challenges and responses. London: Routledge. pp. 1-18. ISBN 9780415196048

Erooga, M. and Masson, H. (1999) ‘Working with Abusers to Protect Children ’. In: Child sexual abuse: responding to the experiences of children. London: Wiley. pp. 211-232. ISBN 9780471983347

Masson, H. and Morrison, T. (1999) ‘Young sexual abusers: conceptual frameworks, issues and imperatives’ Children and Society , 13 (3), pp. 203-215. ISSN 0951-0605

Masson, H (1999) ‘Children and Adolescents Who Sexually Abuse ’. In: Children, child abuse and child protection: placing children centrally. London: Wiley. pp. 33-47. ISBN 9780471986416

Adams, C., Ashworth, A., Karban, K., Kelly, N., Masson, H., Milner, J., Myers, J., O'Neill, T., Parkin, W., Singh, G., Smith, S., Waddell, A., Blyth, E., Cooper, H., Erooga, M., Featherstone, B., Green, L., Hearn, J., Horrocks, C. and Jones, J. (1999) Children, Child Abuse and Child Protection: Placing Children Centrally . London, UK: John Wiley . ISBN 978-0-471-98641-6

Masson, H (1999) ‘Book review: Sexually Abused and Abusing Children in Substitute Care, Elaine Fanner and Sue Pollock (1998)’ British Journal of Social Work , 29 (3), pp. 500-501. ISSN 0045-3102

1998

Masson, H (1998) ‘Book review: Working with Sexually Abusive Adolescents, edited by Masud S. Hoghughi, with Surya R. Bhate and Finlay Graham (1997)’ British Journal of Social Work , 28 (3), pp. 450-452. ISSN 0045-3102

1997

Masson, H (1997) ‘Issues in relation to children and young people who sexually abuse other children: A survey of practitioners' views’ Journal of Sexual Aggression , 3 (2), pp. 101-118. ISSN 1355-2600

1996

Masson, H (1996) ‘Book review: Community-Based Treatment for Sex Offenders: An Evaluation of Seven Treatment Programmes by R. Beckett, A Beech, D. Fisher and AS. Fordham (1994)’ Journal of Sexual Aggression , 2 (1), pp. 79-82. ISSN 1355-2600

1995

Lawson, B., Masson, H. and Milner, J. (1995) ‘'There but for the grace'...? Developing multi-disciplinary training following a local child death inquiry’ Child Abuse Review , 4 (5), pp. 340-350. ISSN 0952-9136

Masson, H. and Erooga, M. (1995) ‘The forgotten parent: groupwork with mothers of sexually abused children’. In: Readings in Groupwork Intervention in Child Sexual Abuse. London: Whiting & Birch. pp. 39-54. ISBN 9781871177404

Masson, H (1995) ‘Children and adolescents who sexually abuse other children: Responses to an emerging problem’ Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law , 17 (3), pp. 325-335. ISSN 0964-9069

1993

Jordan, B., Karban, K., Kazi, M., Masson, H. and O'Byrne, P. (1993) ‘Teaching values: An experience of the diploma in social work’ Social Work Education , 12 (1), pp. 7-18. ISSN 0261-5479

1991

Masson, H. and Morrison, T. (1991) ‘A 24 Hour Duty System: Using Practitioner Research to Manage the Stress ’ British Journal of Social Work , 21 (4), pp. 361-372. ISSN 0045-3102

1990

Erooga, M. and Masson, H. (1990) Investigations: Journeys into the unknown. A guide to investigating physical abuse and neglect . : NSPCC/Rochdale Child Protection Training Sub-Committee .

Masson, H (1990) ‘Training for competence in child protection work’ Social Work Education , 9 (1), pp. 35-43. ISSN 0261-5479

Masson, H. and O'Byrne, P. (1990) ‘The family systems approach: a help or a hindrance’. In: Taking child abuse seriously: contemporary issues in child protection theory and practice. London: Unwin Hyman. pp. 167-193. ISBN 0044456220

1987

Masson, H. and O'Byrne, P. (1987) ‘Making family therapy useful: The educator's task’ Social Work Education , 7 (1), pp. 15-19. ISSN 0261-5479

1984

Masson, H. and O'Byrne, P. (1984) Applying family therapy: a practical guide for social workers . Social Work Series. Oxford: Pergamon Press . ISBN 9780080301860

Professional Society/Institution Memberships

• Member of British Association of Social Workers 1971 - 2012.
• Member of Association for Family Therapy from early 1980s to 2007.
• Member, National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers since 1994, and a member of the National Executive Committee from 1998 – 2003 and from 2012 onwards; Member – Membership Services Committee, NOTA 2005 - 2008.
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy - 2000 to date.
• Registered as a qualified social worker with the General Social Care Council (GSCC) - from July 2004 to 2012.

Journal Editorships and Related Work

• 1998 – 2003 - co-editor of the Journal of Sexual Aggression, academic journal of NOTA and published by Taylor and Francis, and now a member of the Editorial Board.
• 2003 - Appointed Scientific Peer Reviewer – Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust.
• 2000 to date - Reviewer – British Journal of Social Work (until appointment as co-editor), Child Abuse Review, Child and Family Social Work, Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Sexual Aggression (and member of the editorial board).
   
• 2004 -2010 - Appointed co-editor (with Professor Eric Blyth) of the British Journal of Social Work, published by Oxford University Press. The Journal, which publishes 8 issues per year, has an impact factor of +1.5 and is ranked 5/36 in the Social Work category of the ISI Journal Citation Reports (2010).
  • 6 April 2006 – Keynote presentation at OUP Society Journals Day, at Oxford.
  • 1 May 2007 – BASW study Conference, Birmingham. Presentation on the British Journal of Social Work (with Eric Blyth).
  • 29 February 2008 - Keynote speech at event organised by The Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers in London.
  • 29 April 2008 – BASW study Conference, Birmingham. Presentation on the British Journal of Social Work.
  • 9 October 2008 – Presentation on Writing for Journal Publication, as part of seminar at LMU (other speakers being Professors Nick Frost and Mike Stein).
  • 23 September 2009 - Presentation on Writing for Journal Publication at NOTA Annual Conference, York University (with Dr Sarah Brown, Coventry University).
  • 23 June 2010 – 40th anniversary celebration event hosted at the House of Lords by Baroness Jane Campbell.
  • 23 September 2010 - Presentation on Writing for Journal Publication at NOTA Annual Conference, Belfast (with Dr. Sarah Brown, Coventry University).

QAA Involvement

• 2001 – Approved as a Subject Reviewer in Social Work, QAA (member of various QAA subject reviews subsequently.
• 2004 - Invited to train as QAA Foundation Degree Reviewer (and member of Foundation Degree review panels subsequently).

Appointment as External Examiner - Research Degrees

• 2006 – External Examiner for PhD thesis ‘Therapists’ conceptualization, treatment and experience of adolescents with sexual behaviour problems’ by Linda Chassman, University of New England, New South Wales, Australia.
• 2011 – External Examiner for PhD by Lesley Deacon ‘Mapping the system response to children who display sexually harmful behaviour - plotting trajectories through the system from referral to outcome and understanding how this is experienced by parents, carers and social work professionals’, Durham University.

Visiting Professorships

• 2008 – 2011 – Visiting Professor at Leeds Metropolitan University.

External Examiner - Taught Courses - Since 2008

• 2007 - 2011 External Examiner, University of Durham, Post Graduate/PQ Specialist Social Work course in work with children, young people, their families and carers and MA in Child Care Social Work Programme.
• 2011 ff External examiner, Dundee University, PG Certificate Child Protection and MSc Applied Professional Studies (CP) pathway.

Other Activities

• 2008 ff Member of Advisory group to NSPCC funded project ‘Towards Safer Organisations: A Study of Offenders convicted of sexual offences against children and young people in positions of trust’.
• 2008 – 2011 Invited by ESRC to become a member of the Steering Group for the ESRC Strategic Advisor for Social Work and Social Care Research.
• August 2008 – Invited to be independent academic reviewer for NSPCC Research report on ‘Mapping Services for Children and Young people affected by Sexual Abuse’.
• March/April 2009 - Invited to City University of Hong Kong under its Academic Exchange Programme to lecture on my research, to staff, students and at public lectures.

Dissertation and Research Supervision

Postgraduate Dissertations

Supervisor for dissertations on the MA in Child Welfare and Protection. The two most recent are:

• 2006 - 2007 - Jo Statham ‘E-learning in Child Protection Training’.
• 2006 - 2008 - Carol Shaw ‘Understanding and developing the Serious Case Review Process’.
• 2009 - 2010 – Joanne Simpson ‘Children and Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviours’.
• 2011 - 2012 – Paula Adams ‘Perceptions of Neglect’.
• 2011 - 2012 – Tracy Adams ‘The experience of staff in the NSPCC working with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours’.

Doctoral Students

• 2008 - 2011 - Member of supervisory team for Berenice Golding
  - Title of project ‘Can women consent to share their eggs?’.
• 2008 - 2012 – Director of Studies for Ann Hodson
  - Title of project ‘Pre-birth assessments in social work’.

Within the MA in Child Welfare and Safeguarding:

1. Module teaching - HMS1001 Assessment and planning in child welfare and safeguarding.
2. Teaching responsibilities on HMS1002 Interventions in Child Welfare and Safeguarding
3. Marking responsibilities on HMS1000 Dissertation and HMS1036 Dissertation.