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Dr Lorna Brookes

Lorna is the founder of Time-Matters UK and a senior lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, lecturing in Education and Early Childhood Studies. Lorna’s PhD “Bubbles, Brick Walls and Connectivity” focuses on how families affected by parental imprisonment experience community based support.

Lorna has built Time-Matters UK in collaboration with the very children it aims to serve. She passionately believes that children are more than able to generate sensible and viable solutions to their own problems.

Why did I set Time-Matters UK up?

Back in 2004 to 2008, I worked as a qualitative researcher in both female and male prisons, interviewing prisoners about their hopes and worries. Many parents in prison told me how worried they were about their children; they desperately didn’t want them to go down a similar path and were extremely concerned about how they were coping. I was shocked to find there were practically no services to help their children cope with the trauma of parental imprisonment. I became passionate about wanting to support children of prisons from this point on.

Dr Lorna Brookes
Experience, Training and Qualifications

Following gaining my undergraduate degree in Psychology, and Drama I went on to get an MSc in Applied Psychology before working as a researcher in prisons looking at the barriers to effective resettlement. This is where my drive to help children of prisoners grew.

I developed and ran a service for children of prisoners for 10 years for the Family Impact Team at P.S.S (Person Shaped Support) which was featured on the BBC documentary “Prison, My Parents and Me” (2016). I also wrote my PhD about needs of the families I supported, in which I interviewed children, their non-offending parent/carer and parents who had been to prison about what, in their view, helps.

Furthermore, I studied Systemic Family Therapy at post-graduate level as part of my continuing professional development and am a qualified Nurturing Programme parent group leader. I left PSS to become a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, and founded Time-Matters UK (formally known as The MyTime Project).

Time Matters UK Our Founder
Liverpool John Moores University

In addition to running Time-Matters UK, I am a senior lecturer at LJMU in The School of Education. I teach students at undergraduate, masters and PhD level. I teach subjects including child development, child therapy, child mental health, social work and multi-agency work. Many of my students go on to become teachers, social workers, early childhood practitioners or educators themselves. Through my lecturers, students often become passionate about wanting to help children of prisoners and some choose to train with me on placement to offer 1:1 support for children in schools.

Merseyside Woman of the Year

The purpose of the Merseyside Women of the Year event is to celebrate the achievements of women, to reward the best of the best and leave a legacy of amazing role models for the next generation of Women. The event has been designed to find and reward the unsung heroines of Merseyside, for their achievements in just doing what they do best, changing lives and giving extra meaning to people’s lives across Merseyside.

In 2018 I was overjoyed to be nominated for a MWOTY award and was absolutely thrilled to be awarded the ‘Women Making a Difference’ award for services for children of prisoners.

Lorna Brookes Merseyside Woman of The Year
INCCIP (International Coalition for Children of Incarcerated Parents)

I am honoured to be one of 12 board members from across the world, for this international charity that strengthens global support for the lives of children of imprisoned parents.  I oversee the INCCIP Youth Ambassadors programme and enabled the first cohort of Youth Ambassadors to speak at the 2nd INCCIP Conference at the University of Huddersfield which was reported by delegates as the highlight of the event. We are proud that a number of young people from Time-Matters UK spoke at this event and are active INCCIP Youth Ambassadors.

My Research

Some of my research, which looks at the support needs of children impacted by parental imprisonment is highlighted here:

Bubbles, Brick Walls and Connectivity. Families affected by parental imprisonment and their experiences of community-based support.

The Lancet Psychiatry: Lorna Brookes: Helping Children of Imprisoned Parents.

Why Do we Need to Listen to Children of Prisoners?

Stigma, health and incarceration: Turning the tide for children with a parent in prison

Time Matters UK Our Founder
Time Matters UK Our Founder
Personal Life

I am the proud mother of a beautiful daughter, and have a passion for music (especially 80s and 90s indie), movies and theatre. I am a mediocre pianist from a family of talented musicians.

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