Catriona is a sociologist whose research has focused on family and society; one of her key strengths is her knowledge of contemporaneous and historical aspects of policy and ideology surrounding children and childhoods.
She has built her strategic knowledge of the UK's children’s social care systems through her professional academic development and lived experience. She joined a fostering panel in 2013 as an independent panel member, bringing expertise attributed to her previous experience of being in care. She was also part of the steering group for the Care Experienced Conference and Our Care, Our Say.
When taking on this weighty responsibility she focused on keeping the values of the organisation in mind, ensuring that the decisions made were robust and aligned with the ethos and aims of the organisation.