Dr Justin Rogers

Professional biography

Dr Justin Rogers is a social worker by training and has a background in working with children and young people in alternative care. He has worked in fostering and adoption teams within local authorities in the United Kingdom and has experience managing a secure residential unit for young people in conflict with the law. Additionally, he has worked in an international care reform charity, serving as the Director of Programmes and subsequently as the Chief Executive Officer. In his role as Chief Executive Officer, he was responsible for nonprofit fostering services in Australia, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand. He also led charitable projects supporting care reform in various countries, including Thailand, Madagascar, Indonesia, Croatia, Greece, and Poland. Justin previously held the position of Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Bath and continues to maintain an affiliation there as a visiting fellow in the Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy.

Research interests

Justin's research interests centre around child protection and alternative care. He is committed to understanding the experiences of children and young people in alternative care and amplifying their voices to inform policy and practice. Recent research projects include "Fostering Hope," a community-based participatory project that explores the perspectives of unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in Bristol. Justin also led a two-year study titled "Sharing Their Narratives" as the principal investigator, employing arts-based methods to examine the experiences of children and families in different alternative care settings in Thailand. 

Impact and engagement

Editorial Board Member, Journal of Social Work Education (2023-present)

Editorial Board Member, The Journal of Social Work, Thailand, Thammasat University (2018-2022).

Visiting Researcher at the Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy, University of Bath (2020-present).

External Affiliate at the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University, Toronto, Canada (2018-present).

Peer reviewer for British Journal of Social Work, Child and Family Social Work, Children and Youth Services Review, Child and Family Social Work, International Social Work, Qualitative Social Work, Technology in Human Services.

Articles in Non-Academic Press

Rogers, J. (2023) ‘Doing family’ in adversity: exploring children’s and families’ experiences of alternative care in Thailand, Sociology Lens. Available at: https://shorturl.at/cdgUX

Rogers, J. (2023) Uganda's Ghetto Kids win the final of Britain's Got Talent – here's the reality of 'orphanages' around the world, The Conversation. Available at:  https://shorturl.at/pqtJ8

Rogers, J. (2021) An exploration of Ukraine’s mishandling of vulnerable young people and children in state care. Centre for the Analysis of Social Policy Blog. Available at: https://bit.ly/3l2nh4W

Rogers, J., Mendes, P. & Thomas, I., (2020) Care leavers and COVID-19: A time for even greater state and community responsibility, ABC Australia, available from: https://ab.co/2LCCmb5

Rogers, J., (2019) ‘Reasons to be Hopeful: 2019 could see a welcome UN resolution for children growing up in institutional care’, The IPR Blog, available from: https://goo.gl/jouc7u

Rogers, J., (2019) ‘Sharing their Narratives’, Safe Child Thailand Blog, available from: https://rb.gy/a62fyd

Rogers, J., (2017) ‘There is space for lone refugee children in Britain, but the government isn’t trying to find it’, The Conversation, available from https://goo.gl/uUsDVY

Rogers, J., (2015) ‘The government must match public support for fostering refugees’, The Guardian, 15th September, p.42, available from: http://goo.gl/ZVjULo

Rogers, J., (2015) ‘Leaving care is hard enough without the system favouring those who are fostered’, The Conversation, available from:  https://goo.gl/QKN5q4

Rogers, J., (2014) ‘Routinely separating siblings in public care is unacceptable’ [Online], The Conversation, available from:  https://goo.gl/43NBCn

Rogers, J., (2014) ‘Stronger contact with previous carers would give foster children a greater sense of belonging’, [Online], The Conversation, available from:  https://goo.gl/AN06Cu