The University of Sheffield
The School of Nursing and Midwifery

Dr Penny Curtis PhD MA BA RN RM (Professor of Child and Family Health and Wellbeing)

Penny Curtis

The School of Nursing & Midwifery
Barber House
387 Glossop Road
Sheffield S10 2HQ

Tel: +44 (0) 114 222 2040

email : p.a.curtis@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I joined the University of Sheffield in 1998 and have been closely involved in research and teaching relating to the health and the wellbeing of children, young people and families. My research has examined children´s experiences of hospitals and children´s family food and eating practices. My interest in families has focused on the day to day practices of everyday life in diverse family contexts including families with a child with obesity. I have also taught and undertaken research relating to social aspects of childbearing and the experiences of childbearing women and of midwives.
My professional background was in midwifery practice and, following completion of a PhD in sociology, I held academic contracts in a number of Universities before taking up a Senior Lectureship in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, where I am currently Director of Research.
I also currently Co-Direct the University of Sheffield´s interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth (http://cscy.group.shef.ac.uk/index.htm).

Research Interests

My research interests are broadly focused on childhood and youth, children´s lives, intergenerational relations and the health and well-being of families.

Teaching Interests

My current teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels is concerned with understanding and working with families. I also teach qualitative research methods to undergraduates and support undergraduate and Masters level dissertation students and postgraduate research students.

Professional activities

I was awarded The Obesity Awareness and Solutions Trust's (TOAST) Research Prize for 2007 for work with parents of children and young people with obesity. I am a member of the Journal of Clinical Nursing Editorial Board and a member of the International Board of the Journal of Early Childhood Research. I review for a range of other international Nursing journals as well as international journals concerned with childhood and youth.

Current projects

Key publications

  1. James, A. Curtis, P. (2012) Constructing the sick child: the cultural politics of children's hospitals. The Sociological Review 60:4, 754-772
  2. Fairbrother, H. Curtis, P. & Goyder, E. (2012) Children's understanding of family financial resources and their impact on eating healthily. Health and Social Care in the Community. 20:5, 528-536
  3. Skene, C. Curtis, P. Gerrish, K. (2012) Parental involvement in neonatal comfort care. Journal of obstetric and gynecologic and neonatal nursing. 41:6, 786-97
  4. Curtis, P. Stapleton, H. James, A. (2011) Intergenerational relations and the family food environment in families with a child with obesity. Annals of Human Biology. (Forthcoming)
  5. James, A & Curtis, P. (2010) Family Displays and Personal Lives. Sociology. 44(6): 1–18
  6. Curtis, P. James, A. Ellis, K. (2010) Children’s snacking, children’s food: food moralities and family life. Children’s Geographies. 8:3, August
  7. Curtis, P Ellis, K & James, A (2009) Fathering through food: children’s perceptions of fathers’ contributions to family food practices In A James, AT Kjørholt & V Tingstad & (Eds) Children, Food and Family Life, London, Palgrave
  8. Curtis, P James, K & Ellis, K (2009) ‘She’s got a really good attitude to healthy food… Nannan’s drilled it into her’ - Intergenerational Relations within Families in ‘Making Healthy Families?’ in P Jackson (Ed) Changing Families, Changing Food. London Palgrave Macmillan