Dr Emma Barrowcliffe

I have been teaching at Canterbury Christ Church University since 2017. I hold an MSc and PhD in Forensic Psychology from the University of Kent, and a BSc in Psychology completed at the University of Sunderland and Valdosta State University, Georgia, USA.

My research focuses on Forensic Psychology, with particular expertise in understanding the prevalence, characteristics, and prevention of deliberate firesetting behaviour. Alongside my academic work, I deliver specialist training to Fire and Rescue Services, supporting evidence-based approaches to identifying and reducing firesetting risk. I also contributed to a published collaborative project between the University of Kent and the NHS exploring the use of virtual reality technology to assess fire interest.

Before joining academia, I gained extensive professional experience across a range of psychological and forensic settings, including mental health hospitals, pupil referral units, youth work, and the Probation Service, where I held a management role. This breadth of experience informs my teaching and applied research, enabling me to bridge theory and practice effectively.

I am an accredited Hydra Facilitator, a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society, a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, and a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

I am a Senior Fellow of Advance HE with extensive experience teaching and leading modules across undergraduate and postgraduate psychology programmes. My specialist teaching areas are forensic psychology and criminology, and I supervise student research across a range of applied topics, including deliberate firesetting, offending behaviour, mental health, victimology, and criminal justice.

My research focuses on Forensic Psychology, with a particular interest in understanding the prevalence, characteristics, and motivations of individuals who engage in deliberate firesetting. Much of this work has sought to address the limited knowledge surrounding community-based firesetting behaviour by examining individuals who have not come to the attention of the criminal justice system.

Alongside this, I have conducted research exploring women's lived experiences of abuse and the psychological factors associated with offending and victimisation. More recently, my work has expanded to investigate the application of virtual reality technology in the assessment of fire interest, helping to develop innovative methods for understanding firesetting behaviour.

I am actively engaged in publishing research across these areas and enjoy collaborating with students and graduates on research projects. Current collaborations include work examining adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their relationship with a range of psychological and behavioural outcomes, alongside other forensic and applied psychology topics.

My research aims to bridge academic knowledge and professional practice, contributing to a better understanding of complex behaviours and informing prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies.

Presentations and External Training

Virtual European Association of Psychology and Law ‘Understanding and Intervening with Deliberate Firesetting: Developments and New Directions in Research and Practice’ August 2021.

Graduate Research Symposium 'Psychological and offence characteristics of un-apprehended firesetters living in the UK' University of Kent, May 2016.

Psychology Graduate Research Symposium, 'Prevalence and characteristics of un-apprehended firesetters living in the UK' University of Kent, Sept 2014.

Psychology Graduate Research Symposium,'Prevalence and characteristics of un-apprehended UK firesetters, Poster' University of Kent, Sept 2013.

Graduate Research Festival, 'Firesetting in the general population, Poster' University of Kent, June 2013.

Centre of Research & Education in Forensic Psychology Launch, 'Firesetting in the general population' University of Kent, Sept 2011.

FIPP & FIP-MO Training – The Firesetting Intervention Programme (FIPP) and the Firesetting Intervention Programme for Mentally Disordered Offenders (FIP-MO) are the first standardised intervention for individuals with who deliberately ignite fires. It was developed as part of a joint project by the Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology (University of Kent) and Kent Forensic Psychiatry Service (Kent and Medway NHS Social Care Partnership Trust) and is underpinned by the Multi-Trajectory Theory of Adult Firesetting. I deliver training for Fire and Rescue personnel contributing to the fire safety element of the treatment programmes.

Organisational Memberships

SFHEA – Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I am a Chartered Member of the British Psychology Society and have Senior Fellowship of the Advance HE.

Member of IFIRE (the International Association of Firesetting Intervention Research and Education). A professional organisation dedicated to research, education, and evidence-based practice in the area of deliberate firesetting.