Tania Goddard

Doctoral Researcher

Tania Goddard is a PhD student in the School of Health and Society at Salford University. She is a UK qualified non-practicing solicitor with a master’s degree in psychology. Tania has experience of working as a Court Clerk in a Magistrates Court and prosecuting for a Local Authority. Having emigrated to New Zealand, she gained extensive experience of working in legal publishing, editing the New Zealand Criminal Law Review, New Zealand Lawyer, and contributing to the New Zealand Family Law Reports and Business Law Review.  On having her own family Tania studied child development through the New Zealand Playcentre Association, learning the value of early child education and the value of child-initiated play. On her return to the UK, she worked in education supporting students 1:1 with Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In order to better understand the vulnerabilities individuals with FASD face, Tania completed a master’s in psychology.  On completion of this study, it became clear that there is insufficient knowledge and understanding of FASD within education and society in general. Using her experience of working within the Criminal Justice System Tania is pursuing a PhD exploring the common law doctrine of fitness to plead and whether FASD is a barrier to receiving justice within the criminal court in England and Wales. Tania is a member of The Law Society, British Psychological Society, JUSTICE and the Criminal Justice Alliance. With her research she is hoping to increase the knowledge and understanding of FASD within the field of Forensic Psychology and the legal profession.