Dr Sabri Sulaiman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya. During his master's degree, his research focused on the intersection of socioeconomic disadvantage, social deprivation, and the well-being of children from low-income families. During his PhD, he examined how poverty and homelessness influence deficit needs and behavioural outcomes among vulnerable children. Building on this foundation, his broader research investigates how social stratification, socioeconomic processes within families, and institutional inequalities shape well-being outcomes from early childhood to old age. Dr Sabri's research niche lies in the Sociology of Children, Families and Vulnerability. Drawing on the sociology of children, families and vulnerability, his work examines how social structures, family institutions, policies, and welfare systems shape childhood, family life, health, well-being, and life chances across diverse social contexts. He is particularly interested in how poverty, social stratification, social exclusion, and institutional inequalities produce and reproduce disparities in children's development, family well-being, and opportunities over the life course. Through applied sociological research, he develops evidence to inform governance and intervention strategies that strengthen child and family well-being and promote more equitable and socially sustainable societies. Using comparative and global sociological perspectives, he explores how families, communities, governments, and global institutions respond to contemporary social challenges affecting children and vulnerable groups in both the Global South and the Global North. He welcomes opportunities for research collaboration, postgraduate supervision, and consultancy in the following areas: 

• Examining how family relationships, socioeconomic conditions, and institutional contexts shape childhood, family well-being, developmental trajectories, and life chances.
• Investigating how poverty, social deprivation, social exclusion, social stratification, and institutional inequalities create and reproduce unequal opportunities and developmental outcomes for children, families, and vulnerable populations.
• Analysing the social and ecological determinants of violence, vulnerability, risk, and resilience among children and families, including child maltreatment, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and antisocial and prosocial behaviour.
• Examining how social relationships, material living conditions, and unequal access to resources influence health, well-being, quality of life, and human development across the life course.
• Investigating how children's rights, family support, child protection, and social welfare are interpreted, institutionalised, and implemented through legal frameworks, governance systems, public policy, and welfare institutions.
• Conducting comparative and international sociological research on children, families, and vulnerable populations, with particular emphasis on welfare regimes, institutional arrangements, social inequality, well-being, violence, and protection systems across the Global South and the Global North.
• Developing and applying sociological theories, research methods, and social indicators to measure multidimensional well-being, deprivation, vulnerability, social inclusion, quality of life, and evidence-based interventions for children and families.

Beyond academia, Dr Sabri is actively engaged in applied research, consultancy, and collaboration with government agencies, international organisations, and civil society. His work reflects a sustained commitment to translating sociological research into policy, practice, and measurable social impact. He currently serves as a Consultant to the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), Malaysia. He is currently a project leader and consultant for the following projects:

• A national study on risk behaviours among at-risk adolescents in Malaysia, focusing on life-course vulnerabilities, violence exposure, and prevention-oriented interventions.
• A project on inclusive digital education for students with disabilities in higher education, addressing accessibility, equity, and rights-based digital inclusion.
• The development of the Malaysia Family Wellbeing Index (FWI-5).

Dr Sabri is the author of the forthcoming book Community-Based Social Care Models for Protecting the Rights and Well-being of Street-Connected Children in Malaysia, which advances rights-based and evidence-informed approaches to child protection and social care. He has also published Deprivasi Sosial Kanak-kanak Malaysia, a study examining social deprivation and child well-being from children’s perspectives, alongside policy and intervention strategies to address inequality. His work is internationally recognised, and he is affiliated with several professional bodies, including the Social Policy Association, the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, the Malaysian Association of Social Workers, the British Sociological Association, and the International Sociological Association. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, contributed to edited volumes, and presented at international conferences. He welcomes collaboration with scholars, practitioners, and institutions engaged in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusive systems of care.