Dr Emma Langley of the Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research (CEDAR) has been awarded a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to continue her work on the psychological wellbeing of fathers of children with Intellectual Disability (ID). The one-year fellowship will begin in October 2019 and will build on her doctoral research in Education and Psychology which explored the psychological wellbeing of family members of children with ID and/or autism.

ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowships aim to provide researchers in the postdoctoral stage of their career the opportunity to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, networks, and their research and professional skills. The scheme is very competitive, with 7 funded fellowships available across six universities in the Midlands Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

During the fellowship Emma will analyse large-scale longitudinal data to investigate how paternal wellbeing affects the outcomes of children with ID. She will also be collaborating with a small group of fathers of children with ID to disseminate research findings and co-produce a practical guide for fathers based on their experiences.

Emma said:

“I am extremely grateful to the ESRC for this invaluable opportunity which provides me with the time to focus on my research activities and develop as an early career academic. More importantly, it allows me to continue to explore the psychological wellbeing of fathers of children with ID to be able to better understand their needs.”