Amy is a lecturer in childrens studies, and both her research and teaching focuses on childrens rights. Graduating with an undergraduatedegree in law from Queens University Belfast, Amy went on to qualify and practice as a secondary school English teacher where she acquired an interest in the legal complexity of classrooms, how childrens rights are implemented in these spaces, and how professionals and children conceive of human rights.Amys recent research has furthered these interests, including a pilot projectexamining how childrens rights are realised in schools in Scotland following UNCRC incorporation(funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh) and a rights-based analysis of codes of behaviour in Ireland.

My research interests are in childrens rights and particularly childrens participation rights. My research thus far has been focused in education and childrens rights pedagogy.My existing research has examined these interests using the concept of silence, through which I have examined theories of power and childrens rights.