Yvalia Febrer

Contact

Yvalia Febrer
About
Teaching and learning
Research
Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact
Videos of my work

About

My pronouns are She/Her. I am an Associate Professor of Social Work, and the Pre-Qualifying Courses Lead for Social Work and Social Care here at Kingston University. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, National Teaching Fellow (2023), and a registered Social Worker with Social Work England. I founded and co-chair the Kingston University Staff LGBTQI+ Network and sit on the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and Network of Equality Champions. I am also a Trustee for the Social Pedagogy Professional Association, and serve on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Social Pedagogy. I am Student Voice Lead for Education, Midwifery and Social Work, and co-Lead for Admissions in the Department of Social Work and Social Care. I joined Kingston University in 2017. 

My professional background is in Children & Families Social Work, specifically Child Protection, and I am a qualified Practice Educator (PEPS 2). I have worked for the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Hounslow, Richmond (subsequently Achieving for Children), and was the first Programme Director of Frontline (social work). My special interest areas are Social Pedagogy, Child Protection, and Child & Adult Attachment. 

Academic responsibilities

Associate Professor, Course Leader, Student Voice Lead (Education, Midwifery & Social Work)

Qualifications

  • MA Social Work
  • BA (Hons) Russian and Italian
  • Qualified Practice Educator (PEPS 2)
  • Advanced Child Protection, West London Alliance
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Enabling Work Based Learning

Teaching and learning

I serve on the Faculty's Education Committee and Teaching & Learning Forum, and am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. From 2017 - 2020 I represented the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education on the University's Senate. Integrating Kingston University's Inclusive Curriculum Principles across the BA (Hons) Working With Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy course, we won an Inclusive Curriculum Bursary in 2019 and used funds to explore students' perceptions of inclusiveness at Kingston through short self-made videos. In June 2022 I won a Provost's Award for Learning & Teaching Excellence, and in March 2023 was Nominated for a National Teaching Fellowship. 

Book Chapters:

Chapter 3 Using Enhanced Relationship Skills in Practice, in Assessing Disorganised Attachment Behaviour in Children: An Evidence-Based Model for Understanding and Supporting Families, edited by Shemmings & Shemmings (2014), Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Filmed lecturers: 

‘Thresholds in Children's Services', Online MA in Child Protection, Kent University

Live Panel Debates:

Expert Panellist on BBC2 series Protecting Our Children

Qualifications and expertise

  • Honorary Lecturer, University of Kent, Centre for Child Protection (2010 - 2016)
  • Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy
  • Qualified Practice Educator, Social Work

Undergraduate courses taught

Research

Qualifications and expertise

  • Editor, International Journal of Social Pedagogy (UCL Press)
  • Associate, Attachment and Relationship Based Practice Project

Areas of specialism

  • Social Pedagogy
  • Children and Families Social Work
  • Child and Adult Attachment

Scholarly affiliations

  • Social Pedagogy Journal Club
  • International Journal of Social Pedagogy
  • Social Pedagogy Global Alliance

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

I collaborate with the Kingston University Enterprise & Education Team (Hackcentre, Bright Ideas) and Employability & Careers Team, the Developing Together Teaching Partnership, the Feltham Convening Project, and the student-led Kingston Hub to deliver professional practice experiences and knowledge exchange for students. I have incorporated employer-collaboration into teaching and learning, assessment, and practice experience, working with partners such as the Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Independent Youth Counsellors, and have redesigned practice experience on the BA (Hons) Working With Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy course. 

Articles (selected)

Guardian Social Care:

‘Why I left the front line for Frontline' 2013

Community Care Magazine:

‘Tools Social Workers can use to talk to children' 2011

Community Care Website:

‘What difference has Munro made to frontline Social Work?' 2012

‘Will Protecting Our Children have any impact on Social Work?' 2012

‘Language and Communication in Child Protection Post-Munro' 2012

‘Protecting Our Children: The spearhead of a new movement?' 2012

‘Being an Oxbridge Social Worker' 2013

Qualifications and expertise

  • Inclusive Curriculum Bursary, 2019
  • Provost's Award for Learning & Teaching Excellence, 2022
  • Nomination for National Teaching Fellowship, 2023

Professional and scholarly affiliations

  • Social Pedagogy Professional Association
  • Kingston Hub
  • Feltham Convening Partnership
  • Developing Together Teaching Partnership
  • International Journal of Social Pedagogy
  • Social Pedagogy Global Alliance
  • Social Pedagogy Journal Club

Videos of my work

BA Working With Children & Young People: Social Pedagogy

Rochelle - Clearly Good for Me

Staff LGBTQ+ Network

Serious Game for Child Protection

Social media

LinkedIn Instagram