There are programmes of work and expertise relevant to children with disabilities and chronic health problems that extend across Medicine, Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, Psychology, Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work at QUB. Many of these projects also have strong community-based links including the NHS and schools. However each of these disciplines have been investigating aspects of child health (clinical and epidemiological), care and management, quality of life, psychological adjustment, social behaviour and theory and educational issues but in relative isolation from one another.

Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy have track records in research involving babies born requiring intensive care and specialist management; monitoring and surveillance of childhood populations who survive with cerebral palsy; and children who manage chronic health conditions like asthma; chronic respiratory disease secondary to prematurity; impaired growth, poor nutrition and obesity. There are also a number of projects investigating the effects of inequalities and deprivation on health. This work is also linked to Psychology with world-leading research into fetal development and its clinical application including childhood disability and psychological adjustment in disability and acquired brain injury and autism. Psychological problems in childhood disability and chronic illness are often overlooked but are associated with significant social impairment for the child and family. Developing and evaluating early psychological interventions could be one of the research areas of the group. Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work (SSPSW) have been investigating behavioural aspects in relation to children with autism and the perspectives of children with disability and their families in relation to social support services, a very under researched topic. Finally, with increasing numbers of children surviving with complex problems one of the central issues is how these children’s conditions are managed at school and in the community.  School placement has implications for the child’s immediate well-being but also determines their future role and adjustment in society (employment, wealth, quality of life) and remains a contentious issue. The School of Education and ICCR have considerable experience researching issues related to the inclusion of children with special educational needs and the legal framework around special educational needs and school placement. Bringing the threads of education and health together is potentially one of the unique aspects of this SIG.