Formerly, he was the Rudd Professor of Social Care Research and Education Practice at Cambridge University; Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex; and Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences at Birmingham University. He has held professorial posts at Cambridge, Sussex, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Loughborough universities in the UK before coming to Manchester Met in May 2022 to establish the Institute for Children’s Futures. Saul is regarded as the world leader for young carers’ research, policy and practice having pioneered this field and worked with children and young adults with (unpaid, ‘informal’) caring responsibilities for 33 years. He has been awarded 56 research awards as Principal Investigator from multiple sources. He has 610 publications and invited keynote conference papers, including 18 books, and advises governments, policy makers and practitioners around the world. Alongside his MMU roles, he is Ambassador for Carers Trust; a Registered Social Worker, and Community Organiser; a Trustee of the Manchester United Foundation, and The Fed; and President or Patron of Carers Centres from Blackpool to Brighton. Saul was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester in 2025. Saul was named by Universities UK as one of the ‘Nation’s Lifesavers’ – “100 individuals or groups based in universities whose work is making a life-changing difference”. He and his work have featured in 10 television documentaries.