Dr Helen Gleeson is a research assistant at Middlesex University in the Department of Mental Health & Social Work. Her research interests include the experiences of young people in the criminal justice system and substance use and service responses within marginalised communities. Recent publications have focused on service provision for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in need of alcohol and substance use support in the UK, experiences of alcohol services for Polish migrants living in the UK and young people accessing substance use service through the criminal justice system. She is currently the lead researcher on a programme of pedagogic research within the department that is aiming to understand various aspects of the student journey through higher education.
Qualifications
Currently module lead on 'Approaches to Health and Social Care Research' through the Social Work programme. Other teaching interests include, research methods, SPSS, qualitative research methods and literature review
Current research projects within the pedagogic research cluster that I am involved in include; an evaluation of the expansive learning module in the new nursing curriculum; exploring the attainment gap between BAME and white British students; understanding support needs for students transitioning to higher education professional programmes.
Other areas of research include; an evaluation of a social work intervention for young people on the edge of care; depression and suicidal ideation in older people and; a systematic review of substance use in LGBT+ communities.
Duke, Karen L. and Gleeson, Helen and Dabrowska, Katarzyna and Herold, Maria Dich and Rolando, Sara (2020) The engagement of young people in drug interventions in coercive contexts: findings from a cross-national European study. Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy . ISSN 0968-7637 (Published online first)
Hafford-Letchfield, Trish and Gleeson, Helen and Ryan, Peter and Billings, Barbara and Teacher, Ruth and Quaife, Matthew and Flynn, Ann and Zanone Poma, Stefano and Vicentini, Silvia (2020) 'He just gave up': an exploratory study into the perspectives of paid carers on supporting older people living in care homes with depression, self-harm, and suicide ideation and behaviours. Ageing & Society , 40 (5). pp. 984-1003. ISSN 0144-686X
Duke, Karen L. and Thom, Betsy and Gleeson, Helen (2020) Framing 'drug prevention' for young people in contact with the criminal justice system in England: views from practitioners in the field. Journal of Youth Studies , 23 (4). pp. 511-529. ISSN 1367-6261
Hingley-Jones, Helen and Allain, Lucille and Gleeson, Helen and Twumasi, Bismark (2019) 'Roll back the years': A study of grandparent special guardians' experiences and implications for social work policy and practice in England. Child and Family Social Work . ISSN 1356-7500 (Published online first)
Gleeson, Helen and Duke, Karen L. and Thom, Betsy (2019) Challenges to providing culturally sensitive drug interventions for black and Asian minority ethnic (BAME) groups within UK youth justice systems. Drugs and Alcohol Today , 19 (3). pp. 172-181. ISSN 1745-9265
