Professor Judy Sebba is Director of the Rees Centre for Research on Fostering and Education at the University of Oxford. Judy came to Oxford in April 2012 from the University of Sussex where she was Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange in the School of Education and Social Work. Her background is in research in special educational needs, inclusion, professional development and improving the quality and use of research.

The Rees Centre was set up to improve the outcomes of children who are fostered and is funded by Core Assets, a children’s services provider. The Centre is committed to involving service providers, social care professionals, carers and young people in care in setting priorities for research, undertaking research and publicising the findings so they make a difference. Judy’s first publication with the Rees Centre was a review of the literature on what motivates people to become foster carers.