Thomas El-Hoss

Biography

I graduated from the University of Brighton with a BA (Hons) in Sociology and Social Policy. Funded by an Economic and Social Research Council scholarship, I then went on to complete a Masters in Research Methods (MRes) and PhD at the University of Bath, in the Department of Social and Policy Sciences. My PhD thesis examined the development of Lebanon’s child protection system and how the state has negotiated a role for community-based welfare organisations and the nation’s religious courts.

Research Interests

I am interested in how social, economic, and cultural forces shape child protection policy and practice. This has included research looking at how poverty, social inequality, and religious identity structure outcomes for families in child protection systems. I also have an interest in the role that non-state actors play in supporting family welfare including international NGOs, religious movements, and local voluntary and community-based welfare organisations.

As well as child protection in England and its rural and coastal areas, I have also published on the international expansion of child welfare systems in low- and middle-income countries and the Middle East and North African region.

My research draws on both quantitative and qualitative methods with a focus on applied research that works with practitioners and the public to make improvements to policy and service delivery.

Current role

Since September 2021 Torbay Council have hosted me as an Embedded Researcher within their Children’s Services and Public Health teams. Spanning two projects funded by the Torbay Medical Research Fund, we have examined the key drivers for Torbay’s high rates of children in care. During this time, I have worked closely with the Council, community groups, and parents to identify and address improvements to local services. This has included creating better linkages between housing and children’s social care, improving the financial support provided to families, facilitating greater involvement of parents in service design/delivery, and implementing new after-support for birth parents following the removal of a child. From this research we have also published articles on the integration of voluntary and community-based organisations in preventative services and the challenges families and service providers face in coastal areas.

Research Projects

Research Fellow, Understanding kinship carer networks to inform targeted support, starts 2024, National institute for Health Research grant.

Research Fellow, Supporting parents to reduce repeat child removals in Torbay, 2023-ongoing, TMRF grant.

Research Fellow, Understanding the high numbers of children in statutory care in Torbay: an engaged approach to supporting families and communities, 2021-2023, Torbay Medical Research Fund (TMRF) grant.

Research Fellow, The new shape of family-related gender stratification, 2019-2021, European Research Council grant.

Research Assistant, University of Bath Improving the life chances of young people in BANES, 2019-2020, St John’s commissioned project.

Publications

El-Hoss, T., Thomas, F., Gradinger, F. and Hughes, M.S., (2024) Child protection and family support: Experiences in a seaside resort. Geoforum, 148, p.103943.

El‐Hoss, T., Thomas, F., Gradinger, F. and Hughes, S., (2023) The role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Early Help: Critical reflections from embedded social care research. Child & Family Social Work, 28 (4), pp.1150-1162.

El-Hoss, T., (2023) Reforming Lebanon’s child protection system: Lessons for international child welfare efforts. Children and Youth Services Review, 148, (2) pp.106-116.

El‐Hoss, T. and Brown, L., (2022) Road‐testing child protection typologies: A case study in Lebanon. Child Abuse Review, 31 (4), pp. 2751-2760.