Dr Pam Jarvis is a chartered psychologist and a historian. Her key research focus is the wellbeing of children, young people and their families, and the development of social policy to support this. She has numerous publications to her name, including the books Early Years Pioneers in Context, The Complete Companion for Teaching and Leading Practice in the Early Years and (with Dr Yinka Olusoga), Perspectives on Play.

Her PhD focussed on play-based learning in four-to-six-year-olds. She is currently an honorary research fellow at Leeds Trinity University.