Staff Profile

Simon’s background is in research which aims to support families who have additional health and social care needs, and who are often impacted by mental health problems, substance use and intimate partner violence and abuse. His PhD, from the University of Glasgow, worked alongside a vulnerable population of parents, and examined how adverse experiences in their childhood shaped the parenting practices they adopt with their own children.

Before joining the ARC NENC as a Research Fellow, Simon's work at Newcastle University included a systematic review of interventions to support families affected by adversity, as well as how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted upon social prescribing, parenting, and upon families affected by intimate partner violence and abuse.

More recent work includes qualitative research which aimed to understand how safer sleep messages may be best tailored for families who have contact with statutory social services, and how best to support non-substance using caregivers in families affected by substance use. Simon is currently leading on the qualitative components of weight management service evaluations, and also supervises students on several food insecurity projects.

• Articles

  • McSweeney L, Rothwell C, Adamson A, Barrett S, Mathews C, Lloyd S, Fong M. Tier 2 adult weight management services in the UK: A case study evaluation of local authority provision of targeted services for higher-risk groups in England. Clinical Obesity 2024, e12723.
  • Barrett S, Barlow J, Cann H, Pease A, Shiells K, Woodman J, McGovern R. Parental decision making about safer sleep practices: A qualitative study of the perspectives of families with additional health and social care needs. PLoS ONE 2024, 19(3), e0298383.
  • Redgate S, Smart D, Barrett S, Barron C, Burns S, Frost H, McGovern W, Peart V, Adams E, Alderson H, Kaner E, McGovern R. Mechanisms That Promote and Support Family Preservation for Children at the Edge of Care: A Realist Synthesis. SAGE Open 2024, 14(2).
  • Barrett S, Smart D, Bate A, Beresford L, McEvoy-Carr C, Thompson H, Gilvarry E, Araujo-Soares V, Kaner E, McGovern R. Exploring caregiver perspectives in the context of parental substance use: A qualitative study. Child Protection and Practice 2024, 2, 100039.
  • Muir C, Kedzior SGE, Barrett S, McGovern R, Kaner E, Wolfe I, Forman JR. Co-design workshops with families experiencing multiple and interacting adversities including parental mental health, substance use, domestic violence, and poverty: intervention principles and insights from mothers, fathers, and young people. Research Involvement and Engagement 2024, 10(1), 67.
  • Shiells K, Cann H, Pease A, McGovern R, Woodman J, Barrett S, Barlow J. A Behaviour Change Analysis of Safer Sleep Interventions for Infants at Risk of Sudden and Unexpected Death. Child Abuse Review 2024, 33(2), e2860.
  • Kedzior SGE, Barrett S, Muir C, Lynch R, Kaner E, Forman JR, Wolfe I, McGovern R. “They had clothes on their back and they had food in their stomach, but they didn't have me”: The contribution of parental mental health problems, substance use, and domestic violence and abuse on young people and parents. Child Abuse and Neglect 2024, 149, 106609.
  • Barrett S, Muir C, Burns S, Adjei N, Forman J, Hackett S, Hirve R, Kaner E, Lynch R, Taylor-Robinson D, Wolfe I, McGovern R. Interventions to Reduce Parental Substance Use, Domestic Violence and Mental Health Problems, and Their Impacts Upon Children’s Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Evidence Mapping. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse 2023, 25(1), 393-412.
  • Fixsen A, Barrett S, Shimanovich M. Supporting Vulnerable Populations During the Pandemic: Stakeholders’ Experiences and Perceptions of Social Prescribing in Scotland During Covid-19. Qualitative Health Research 2022, 32(4), 670-682.
  • Sweeting H, Blake C, Riddell J, Barrett S, Mitchell KR. Sexual harassment in secondary school: Prevalence and ambiguities. A mixed methods study in Scottish schools. PLoS ONE 2022, 17(2), e0262248.
  • Alderson H, Barrett S, Addison M, Burns S, Cooling V, Hackett S, Kaner E, McGovern W, Smart D, McGovern R. Parental intimate partner violence and abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning from remote and hybrid working to influence future support. Women's Health 2022, 18, 1-12.
  • Adesanya AM, Barrett S, Moffat M, Aquino MRJ, Nicholson W, Turner G, Cook E, Tyndall S, Rankin J. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Expectant and New Parent’s Experience of Pregnancy, Childbirth, Breastfeeding, Parental Responsiveness and Sensitivity, Bonding and Attunement in High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of the Evidence. BMJ Open 2022, 12(12), e066963.
  • Fixsen A, Barrett S. Challenges and Approaches to Green Social Prescribing During and in the Aftermath of COVID-19: A Qualitative Study. Frontiers in Psychology 2022, 13, 861107.
  • Fixsen A, Barrett S, Shimonovich M. Weathering the storm: A qualitative study of social prescribing in urban and rural Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. SAGE Open Medicine 2021, 9, 1-12.

• Reports

  • Adesanya A, Rankin J, Aquino R, Moffat M, Barrett S. Rapid review of the impact of COVID-19 on parental responsiveness and sensitivity, bonding and attunement. York: PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews, 2021. PROSPERO 2021.
  • Burns S, Barrett S, Lynch R, Hirve R, Adjei N, Taylor-Robinson D, Wolfe I, Kaner E, McGovern R. Interventions to reduce parental substance use, domestic violence and mental health, and their impacts upon children’s wellbeing: a systematic review of reviews plus an evidence and gap map. PROSPERO, 2021. PROSPERO.
  • Redgate S, Smart D, Adams E, Alderson H, Barrett S, Barron C, Burns S, Firth J, Frost H, Kaner E, McGovern W, Renwick T, Xeros P, McGovern R. A realist synthesis of evidence on the effectiveness of community delivered interventions to reduce the likelihood of children going into care and promote family preservation. London: National Institute for Health Research, 2021. PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021231009.
  • Aquino R, Rankin J, Moffat M, Heslehurst N, Cullen E, Barrett S. Parents’ health-protective behaviours and infant care practices during pandemics: a systematic review. York: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, 2020. PROSPERO 2020.