Early Years and Neurodevelopment

The Mental Health | Policy | Economics group aims to work and understand outcomes in early years policy with a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders. We recognise the urgent need to address the unique challenges posed by these conditions and our research is strategically focused on access and equity in healthcare and educational systems, to exploring the efficacy of various interventions, and understanding the societal and economic implications of these disorders. The agenda we propose not only seeks to bridge gaps in current knowledge but also aims to translate these insights into practical, culturally sensitive, and sustainable strategies. Our research includes:

• Access and Equity in Neurodevelopmental Health: Investigating barriers to access and utilization of health resources for autism and ADHD across different socio-economic, geographic, and ethnic groups. This research will aim to identify factors leading to disparities and develop strategies to make health services more inclusive and accessible.

• Integration with Existing Healthcare Systems: Exploring effective ways to integrate neurodevelopmental services within existing healthcare platforms. This includes studying interoperability of specialized tools with existing systems, the training needs of healthcare providers, and best practices for integrating neurodevelopmental health services.

• Effectiveness and Efficacy of Interventions: There is a continuous need for rigorous clinical trials and longitudinal studies to assess the effectiveness of screening interventions for autism and ADHD. Research will evaluate outcomes such as screening, and long-term developmental benefits.

• Patient Engagement and Experience: Understanding how early interventions and educational strategies affect children with neurodevelopmental conditions. Research in this area should focus on designing engaging and effective early childhood programs, and assessing their impact on child development and family dynamics.

• Data Linkage and Electronic Health Records: As research in neurodevelopmental disorders often involves electronic health records data, investigating using big data resources is crucial. This includes exploring complex multidimensional data use in early childhood, and developing robust protocols to develop big data analytics.

• Long-term Impact and Sustainability: Investigating the long-term societal and economic impact of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD is crucial. Research will include studies on cost-effectiveness of early intervention, scalability of programs, and the sustainability of initiatives in various healthcare and educational settings.

Our research aims to ensure that interventions and policies are effective, equitable, and seamlessly integrated into broader healthcare and educational systems, recognizing and supporting the diverse needs of individuals from early childhood to adulthood.