Observatory Joint Coordinators

Professor Simon Hoffman

Simon’s research focuses on international human rights, in particular on social rights, and the rights of minorities. He is especially interested in how human rights are given effect, in particular in systems of political devolution and multi-level governance.

Simon is an experienced Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator and has led on numerous research projects. He has been invited to present his research in the UK and internationally and has given expert evidence on human rights to the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Simon works closely with NGO networks to bring about change, including the Wales Monitoring Group on the UNCRC, and is currently a member of the Welsh Government’s Children’s Rights Advisory Group.

Since 2012 Simon has been a co-coordinator of the Observatory on Human Rights of Children. His teaching is on human rights and social justice (LLB), the human rights of children (LLB), and human rights implementation (LLM). Simon is Programme Director of the LLM Human Rights. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Read more about Simon’s work and publications.

Professor Jane Williams

Jane’s career spans private practice at the Bar of England and Wales, UK and Welsh Government legal work and professional training, prior to joining Swansea University in 2000. Her academic work features extensive public and policy engagement.

She founded and edited the Wales Journal of Law and Public Policy 2001 – 2006 and was pivotally involved in civil society efforts to secure legislation on the rights of the child in Wales and the establishment of the Welsh Youth Parliament. She co-founded the Observatory on Human Rights of Children and secured grant funding to establish the Children’s Legal Centre Wales.

From 2014 – 2020 Jane led successive grant-funded projects developing human rights approaches to empowering children as researchers and agents of change. Her innovations in teaching include the introduction of modules on Street Law and Human Rights Approaches to Research with Children. Jane’s academic publications are in the fields of devolution, child law and children’s rights.

Read more about Jane’s work and publications.

Dr Anthony Charles

Anthony’s research focuses upon youth justice and children’s rights. He has a particular interest in diversion processes, the promotion of appropriate interventions, children’s participation and the ways that Welsh devolution are impacting upon the work of youth offending teams.

Anthony has a record of leading research with youth justice service providers and partner agencies, notably schools, in a co-production context. He has worked closely with a range of partner agencies, including local government and NGO’s across Wales to better understand children’s rights and youth justice practices. Anthony is an Associate of the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice in Scotland and also, a member of Hwb Doeth.

In the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law, Anthony is the Programme Director for the MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a UKAT Senior Recognised Advisor. His teaching is on youth justice and young offenders on the BSc in Criminal Justice and Criminology and criminological theory and young people and youth justice on the MA.

Read more about Anthony’s work and publications.

Others Involved

Rosie Beacock

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Dr Aaron Brown

Dr Aaron Brown

Hannah Bussicott

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Dr Rhian Croke

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Helen Dale

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Eve Haynes

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Dr Helen Hodges

Dr Helen Hodges

Joe Janes

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Elisa Jenkins

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Gerli Orumaa

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Arwyn Roberts

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Rhian Thomas-Turner

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