I trained as a clinical psychologist and worked for many years in NHS community learning disability teams with people with learning disabilties, their carers, supporters, and staff teams.  I began to develop my research skills and interests in the course of completing a PhD at the Institute of Education (now UCL).  I joined King's College London in 2009 and continue to work there 0.6 FTE as a Senior Lecturer, in addition taking up a 0.4 FTE post in 2021 at the University of Hertfordshire Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Programme supporting trainees' research.  My own research continues to explore the experiences of people with learning disabilities in the UK, with a focus on research into barriers to health and social care experienced by these individuals.  From 2014 to 2018 I held a post-doctoral fellowship funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and I am currently leading on an NIHR School for Social Care Research study on 'homeliness' in group homes for people with learning disabilities.

I use qualitative and mixed research methodologies with a particular interest in discourse and conversation analysis, participatory and arts-based research methods including Photovoice.  My research interests focus on the experiences of people with learning disabilities, and other groups who face exclusion from health and social care services. I have a broad interest in health communication and health literacy, especially from a social practices perspective.