Her recent work includes evaluation of a parenting program integrated in routine well child visits in three Caribbean countries; development and evaluation of a training package for the Reach Up: An early childhood parenting programme based on the home visiting intervention; and the 30 year follow-up of the Jamaica supplementation and stimulation trial. The group has worked with partners in 16 countries to adapt and implement Reach Up. Other research includes evaluation of interventions to promote social and emotional competence in young children and reduce violence against children.
Professor Walker received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research in 2007. She was lead author in papers in the highly influential Lancet series on child development (2007, 2011), author in the 2016 series, and author and coordinator of the 2013 series on Maternal and Child Nutrition. She is active globally and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences Forum on Investing in Young Children Globally, and member of the World Health Organization Guideline Development Group on improving early childhood development.