Peter Beresford
| Peter Beresford | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Peter Beresford May 1, 1945 |
| Alma mater | University College, Oxford |
| Occupation | academic, writer, researcher, activist |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Notable work | All Our Welfare: Towards Participatory Social Policy (2016); Citizen Involvement: A Practical Guide for Change (1993); Whose Welfare?: Private Care or Public Services (1986) |
| Title |
Professor of Citizen Participation, University of Essex Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, Brunel University London |
| Spouse(s) | Suzy Croft (m. 1976) |
Professor of Citizen Participation, University of Essex
Peter Beresford OBE, FAcSS, FRSA (born 1 May 1945) is a British academic, writer, researcher and activist best known for his work in the field of citizen participation and user involvement, areas of study he helped to create and develop. He is currently professor of citizen participation at the University of Essex and emeritus professor of social policy at Brunel University London. Much of his work has centred on including the viewpoints, lived experience and knowledge of disabled people, mental health and other long term service users in public policy, practice and learning.
Peter Beresford was born in Frensham, Surrey. After his father died when he was four, he moved to Battersea where he attended school at Wix’s Lane Primary School, Battersea and then Emanuel School London. He was awarded an 'Open Exhibition' to University College, Oxford, where from 1964-67 he studied Modern History. In 1968 he wrote a dissertation on homeless single people as part of a diploma in social and administrative studies at Barnet House, Oxford University and subsequently did research on vagrancy in Britain. He was awarded a PhD on Citizen Involvement in Public Policy by Middlesex University in 1997.
Peter Beresford married Suzy Croft in 1976. They have worked and written together since that time. She is senior social worker at St John’s Hospice, London. They have four daughters. He is also a member of the BSA (motorcycle) Owners Club.
Between 1975 and 1977 Beresford was lecturer in Social Administration at Lancaster University, but left because of his growing concerns about the non-participatory nature of public policy. He was appointed senior lecturer in Social Policy at the West London Institute for Higher Education (WLIHE) in 1990. WLIHE was absorbed into Brunel University London where he was promoted to Professor of Social Policy in 1997.
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