Meryl Westlake is a PhD researcher at University College London and Anna Freud. Her mixed-methods research aims to generate a better understanding of the mental health and risk-taking behaviours among children living in residential care in England and young people’s experience of living in these settings. She is interested in the use of assessment tools to understand children’s needs and participatory methods to explore the experience of children’s social care. She is on the Academy Board of the European Scientific Association on Residential and Family Care for Children and Adolescents.