Background

We are looking for a research fellow to join a team of academics and clinicians developing and evaluating a training intervention for teachers and parents of children with physical disabilities. The training intervention is designed to improve parents’ and teachers’ confidence in providing postural care. It is a collaboration between Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Kent and clinical partners at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust and Chailey Heritage. The role is based in The Research Centre for Children, Families and Communities (RCfCFC), Canterbury Christ Church University, The Centre, sits outside but links to the University’s Faculties of Education and Health and Social Care, draws together academics from a range of different disciplines in order to undertake research that promotes the establishment of new ways of understanding social issues.

The Role

The post-holder will play an important role in the research collaboration. She/he will be responsible for qualitative data collection and analysis, in particular organising and conducting focus groups with workshop attendees (parents and teachers of children with physical disabilities) and interviewing children with disabilities about their experiences of postural care. The post holder will work collaboratively with the research team to deliver the project on time. The role will also involve networking with organisations in which the intervention is to be delivered. While the research activity will be conducted under the supervision of a qualitative research methodologist, the post-holder will be required to work independently on a day-to-day basis.

Requirements

You will hold a First degree or equivalent in a social science or related discipline and have a Postgraduate qualification in research methods or related field (including qualitative methods). We are looking for someone with experience of working in the health or disability field or in a child related environment. You will need to have demonstrable experience of collecting and analysing qualitative research data, either in a child, health or disability related field. The post-holder must be sensitive to the issues affecting children with physical disabilities, their families and carers and be able to relate to children and to parents/carers who have children with disability.

Additional Information

For informal discussion only, please contact: Eve Hutton email eve.hutton@canterbury.ac.uk Telephone 01227 782469.