Personal profile
Biography
Dominic McSherry is a developmental psychologist whose work for the last 20 years has been focused on understanding the impact of experiencing adversity and trauma in childhood across the lifecourse, and using that knowledge to inform theory, policy and practice. His work has been focused specifically on children who enter care due primarily to maltreatment, and either remain in care throughout their childhood, return home to birth parents, or are adopted. He has attracted over £3Million in external research funding as PI to support this work. He has led several largescale research projects in the area of children in care and adopted, some notable examples of which are: the OFMDFM-funded 'Mind Your Health' study (2015), which developed the first national profile of the physical and mental health of children and young people in care in Northern Ireland; and the ongoing ERSC-funded 'Care Pathways and Outcomes' study, the only longitudinal study in the world that has followed a full population of children (n=374) who were under the age of five and in care in Northern Ireland in March 2000, through to early adulthood. A strong feature of his work is the high level of co-design and co-production with external partner organisations involved. Dominic has published extensively in this area through journal articles, research reports, books, book chapters, and conference papers. He is a member of a number of UK research project scientific advisory committees, and a member of the ESRC and MRC peer review colleges. He has been guest editor for two journal special issues: 'Understanding Outcomes for Care Experienced Children', Children Australia, 2018; and 'Adoption and Trauma', Child Abuse and Neglect, 2021. He is currently Editor in Chief for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma (JCAT). He also represents the School of Psychology within the Faculty-level Institute of Mental Health Sciences.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
-
SDG 1 No Poverty
-
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
-
SDG 4 Quality Education
-
SDG 5 Gender Equality
-
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
-
SDG 13 Climate Action
-
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Exploring the views of children in foster care: The past, present and future
Farrell, P. & Mc Sherry, D., 21 Jan 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Journal of Family Issues. p. 1 32 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
ACE Enquiry in Primary care: A Qualitative Exploration of the Perspective of General Practitioners in Northern Ireland
Smyth, R. & Mc Sherry, D., 31 Mar 2025, In: Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. 18, 1, p. 57-70 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
The effects of child protection social worker turnover on children and families: A scoping review addressing a critical gap in social work turnover research.
MacLochlainn, J., McFadden, P., McGrory, S., McColgan, M., Naylor, R., McGinnis, E., Mc Sherry, D., Martin, G. & Mallett, J., 19 Nov 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: The British Journal of Social Work. p. 1-33 33 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Downloads (Pure) -
An introduction to the adoption and trauma special issue
Mc Sherry, D., Samuels, G. & Brodzinsky, D., 31 Aug 2022, In: Child Abuse & Neglect. 130, Pt 2, p. 1-5 5 p., 105691.Research output: Contribution to journal › Special issue › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)268 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring the relationship between adoption and psychological trauma for children who are adopted from care: A longitudinal case study perspective
Mc Sherry, D. & Mc Anee, G., 30 Aug 2022, In: Child Abuse & Neglect. 130, Pt 2, p. 1-16 16 p., 105623.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile16 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)219 Downloads (Pure)
Profiles
-
Quantifying the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from a service user, big data and economic perspective
McFadden, P. (PI), McSherry, D. (CoI), McGinnis, E. (CoI), Martin, G. (CoI), Mallett, J. (CoI), MacLochlainn, J. (CoI) & Naylor, R. (CoI)
Health and Social Care R&D Division of the Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland
2/06/25 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
-
Quantifying the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children's social work from a service user, big data and economic perspective
McFadden, P. (PI), McSherry, D. (CoI), McGinnis, E. (CoI), Martin, G. (CoI), Mallett, J. (CoI), MacLochlainn, J. (CoI) & Naylor, R. (CoI)
Health and Social Care R&D Division of the Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland
2/06/25 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
-
An exploration of the experience of discrimination for care experienced people in Northern Ireland
McSherry, D. (PI)
Public Health Agency Northern Ireland
1/03/24 → 30/06/25
Project: Research
-