Dr Charlotte Jones

Associate Professor, and Director of Academic Studies, BA(Hons) Child and Family: Health and Wellbeing/Mental Health

Safeguarding Officer

Accredited Civil Mediation Council Workplace Mediator

Centre for Lifelong Learning, Westwood Campus

Dr Charlotte Jones holds the position of Associate Professor and Director of Academic Studies, and BA(Hons) Child and Family: Mental Health. Charlotte is responsible for creating and delivering the strategic vision across her portfolio with particular focus on innovation, sustainability, and quality enhancement. Charlotte’s scholarly work and professional development notably focuses on areas relating to identity within early childhood contexts, drama and creative and playful practices as well as mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan. With this in mind, Charlotte is Co-Creator and Programme Facilitator on the THRIVE+ programme within SELCS, which seeks to build students’ confidence, resilience and agency. Charlotte also fulfils the role of Secretary for the Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH West Midlands) and is a member of the Association of Colleges Mental Health Community of Practice.

Charlotte is the Founder of the University of Warwick's Children, Young People and Families Network. This Network proudly reflects the University of Warwick's commitment to engaging with areas of international, national and regional priority in relation to children, young people and families. Within the Network (with representation from over 16 different University Departments), we celebrate shared expertise and nurture positive collaboration within the community and with external Stakeholders. The Network is structured as an innovative eco-system of inter- and transdisciplinary teaching and learning, research and scholarly activity as well as community engagement and outreach activities. Here, we prioritise the direct and sustained support of children, young people, families and those who work with them.

Charlotte is also a Trustee of TACTYC: Association for Professional Development in Early Years. As part of her Quality Assurance role, Charlotte is External Examiner for Early Childhood Degree Programmes at Universities and holds Senior Fellowship of Advance HE. Charlotte is on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Play and she is a reviewer for a number of international and national journals, including the International Journal of Early Childhood, Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, The International Journal of Art in Early Childhood, Journal of Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, Journal of Research in Drama Education and The Journal of Early Childhood Education.

Current Projects

Charlotte hoding paper folder in front of No.10 Downing Street

In 2024 and 2025, Charlotte was delighted to have been invited to attend 10 Downing Street as one of the key authors in a manifesto for play - The Power of Play: Building a Creative Britain (Norman and Jones et al, 2024), in collaboration with colleagues from across The Children’s Alliance, Child and Family Mental Health services, Arts and Culture (including The Young V&A in London) and colleagues from Early Childhood settings across England.

Charlotte is also currently undertaking participatory action research with colleagues from across several UK HEIs as part of her work with the ECSDN Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy Strategy Group. This research focuses upon advocacy, innovation and sustainability of Early Childhood Degrees.

As well as building engagement and relationships with colleagues at the University and across the field nationally, Charlotte is also delighted to be building a brand new regional and local collaboration with Warwickshire Adult, Community and Family Learning. This reflects a joined-up commitment to areas of national, regional and local priority in relation to adult education, family learning and supporting babies, children and families.

Charlotte is an active member of national and international Networks and Special Interest Groups including the following:

Arts Based Research Global Consortium
EECERA (Sustainability SIG and Gender SIG),
BERA (Post-Compulsory and Lifelong Learning SIG, Early Childhood SIG)
ECSDN (Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy Strategy Group)
The Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL): SEEC Network which is a consortium of HE providers who support student mobility and create learning opportunities through the use of academic credit

Charlotte’s engagement with industry includes her active membership to the:

Association of Colleges Mental Health Community of Practice
Regional Infant Mortality Group
TACTYC: Association for Professional Development in Early Years
Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (West Midlands Branch)
Association for Infant Mental Health
The Children’s Alliance: Early Years Working Group

PhD Supervision

Charlotte is currently supervising the following PhDs:

The policy-to-practice context of accompanied refugee and asylum-seeking children (aged 0-5) who do not attend ECEC provision in England
Early Years Education in Saudi Arabia: Policy, Practice and Perceptions of Early Years Practitioner
Role of higher education in improving socio-political participation of women and gender equality in Pakistan
ESRC Strategic Joint Studentship: "Perceived Impact of Expanded Early Years Childcare in the UK: Effects on Children's Well-being"

Potential PhD candidates are welcome to contact Charlotte regarding research proposals related to one or more of the following topics:

Research approaches including:

Qualitative research
Arts-based research
Autoethnographic, narrative research
Case studies

Topics/areas including:

Drama, Art and creativity
Early Childhood
Child and family mental health
Sustainability in education
Quality and innovation in education

Publications and Conference Contributions

Jones, C. and Simmons, H. (2025) 1001 Days: Setting the Foundations for Life. University of Warwick, 21st May 2025.

Norman, A., Veale, V., Jones, C. (2025) The Power 2 Play. Alliance4Children.

Jones, C., Strisino, R. and Baxter, K. (2025) A Transformative Approach: Knowing that you make a difference in lifelong learning. University of Warwick, Warwick Education Conference, 5th June, 2025.

Jones, C. and Norman, A. (2025) The Power of Play: Building a Creative Britain. Children’s Alliance. Palace of Westminster: House of Lords.

Jones, C., Liew, A., Daniels, H. Et al (2024) School Anxiety & Emotional Based School Avoidance. Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH). 3rd October 2024.

Simmons, H., Twigg, E. and Jones, C. (2024) Advocating for Early Childhood Studies: A Participatory Action Research Project. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA). University of Brighton. 3^rd – 6^th September 2024.

Jones, C (2024) “You feel like a chameleon on a piece of tartan”: the policy-to-practice context of men in early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA). University of Brighton. 3^rd – 6^th September 2024.

Norman, A., Jones, C. et al (2024) The Power of Play: Building a Creative Britain. Children’s Alliance

Jones, C. and Day, I. (2024) Unleashing the transformative potential of lifelong learning: an andragogical assessment strategy. University of Warwick, Warwick Education Conference, 2nd May 2024.

Jones, C., Strisino, R., Gascoigne, S. and Baxter, K. (2024) Assessment for Lifelong Learning: Building Sustainable and Equitable Futures. University of Warwick, Warwick Education Conference, 2nd May 2024.

Jones, C. (2024) A policy-to-practice approach to building a sustainable and inclusive early childhood workforce. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) SIG Gender. 7th March 2024.

Jones, C. and Day, I. (2024) 'We're all learning together!': The role and value of andragogy for lifelong learners. University of Warwick. CLL Teaching and Learning Forum.

Simmons, H., Twigg, E. and Jones, C (2024) Advocating for Early Childhood Studies: A Participatory Action Research Project. ECSDN Annual Research Conference. 26^th January 2024.

Jones, C. and Strisino, R. (2021) Interdisciplinarity and the Lifelong Learner: Celebrating Individual Stories and Collective Voices. 5th Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching Conference, University of Warwick - 15th April 2021.

Jones, C. (2019) ‘I’m constantly trying to return to what that felt like’: An autoethnographic narrative inquiry into the child, learner and artist. Masters Dissertation. University of Warwick

Jones, C. and Aubrey, C. (2019) I mean, why wouldn't men be involved?' The life histories of six male practitioners working within early childhood education and care in England. Journal of Early Childhood Research.

Jones, C. and Aubrey, C. (2019) How gender is constructed and experienced in the social world of the nursery school, International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:2, 153-169.

Aubrey, C., Jones, C., Lowe, R. and Blackburn, C. (2017) The Regulated Child. In Owen, A. Childhood Today (eds). London: Sage Publications.

Jones, C. (2016) ‘…For the love of children and the joy of childhood’. The values, beliefs and reported practices of male practitioners within Early Childhood Education and Care in England. Journal of Early Childhood Research. 14(4).

Jones, C. (2015) The policy-to-practice context of male practitioners in early childhood education and care within England. PhD Thesis. Birmingham City University. Available at: The Policy-to-Practice Context of Male Practitioners in Early Childhood Education and Care within England (bcu.ac.uk)

Aubrey, C. & Jones, C. (2013) Vulnerable Children and Their Views on Professional Services That They Receive. 2013 AERA Annual Meeting: San Francisco, CA.

Jones, C. (2013) A Policy-to-Practice Study of Male Professionals within Early Childhood Education and Care in England. BERA 2013 Annual Conference. University of Sussex.

Jones, C. (2013) Where are all the men? Men in Childcare: Challenging the status quo. Children’s Centre Leader Reader.

Jones, C. (2013) ‘Between the time that you are born and the time that a man goes into childcare…at what point is he influenced towards it?’ The career trajectories of male practitioners within early childhood education and care in England. TACTYC. The International Conference Centre: Birmingham.

Jones, C. (2013) “I was once asked in an interview ‘how would you get away from the disadvantages of being a man teaching in a nursery?’” Centre for Research in Education Conference. July 2013. Birmingham City University.

Jones, C (2013) A policy-to-practice study of male professionals within early childhood education and care in England. Centre for Research in Education Conference. July 2013. Birmingham City University.

Yardley, L., Aubrey, C., Clibbins, J., Lowe, R., Jones, C. and Blackburn, C. (2012) Common Assessment Framework: Children and young people’s satisfaction survey. Wolverhampton City Council: Integrated Working Team.

Jones, C. (2012) Challenging the Status Quo: Men in Childcare. Early Years Educator. November, 2012: 38-44.

Aubrey, C., Jones, C., Lowe, R. and Blackburn, C. (2012) Common Assessment Framework: Children and young people’s satisfaction survey. Centre for Research in Education Conference. July, 2012. Birmingham City University.

Jones, C. & Kinsella, V. (2012) Mind the Gap. Centre for Research in Education Conference. July 2012. Birmingham City University.

Jones, C. & Kinsella, V. (2012) Learning Conversations: student and academic partnership as a catalyst for student engagement. SRHE Annual Research Conference. Newport: Wales.

Jones, C. (2012) Challenging the Status Quo: Men in Childcare. Poster Presentation. RESCON: Birmingham City University.

Jones, C. (2012) The policy-to-practice context of male professionals in early childhood education and care in England. TACTYC. The International Conference Centre: Birmingham.