The Prior's Court Research Programme was set up in 2019 to formalise our work with partners on research projects which have the potential to further inform our practice and so continue to improve the outcomes for young people at Prior’s Court.

We hope the findings of our projects will also help to shape policy and sector development, potentially improving outcomes for autistic young people across the country.

Research opportunities are open to both Prior’s Court staff and external applicants, including Masters and PhD students, who wish to conduct formal research exploring a diversity of autism research topics.

Our current areas of interest for prospective research

As an organisation working with autistic young people with the most complex multiple needs we often pioneer approaches to delivering the most positive lifelong outcomes for the young people, and their families.  

This requires us to have a close connection to the research and academic communities, and we are always interested in hearing about, or potentially being involved in, research which can help us achieve our mission and aims.

Involvement might be expert advice and guidance from our Research Board, or participation including facilitating access to young people, family members and practitioners (subject to ethics approval and our own internal approval processes).

Prior’s Court has a three-year strategy, Painting with our own colours 2024-2027 which sets out our broad direction in this period.

Below are some areas drawn from that Strategy where we have a particular interest in supporting research, as we have identified a lack of knowledge. These areas are in no particular order:

1. Early intervention, what works in support to infants and young children.
2. Family functioning, how to maintain and improve family relationships and family identity when a child/children have autism and complex needs.
3. How to monitor and deliver improved lifelong outcomes from education and care in childhood and early adulthood.
4. Voice.  How to ascertain and facilitate the voice of autistic young people with communication barriers and learning disability in the autistic/disabled campaigning movements. 

These areas are likely to receive priority attention.  However, we would encourage researchers to read the whole strategy and if they feel their proposed work may have relevance outside of these priorities to contact us for a discussion. We are always open to innovation, and indeed things that we may not have thought of! 

Benefits for research partners working with us include:

• access to work with Prior’s Court staff who have a wealth of experience and knowledge in the sector,
• making use of our ground-breaking Prior Insight digital operations system which allows us to collect hundreds of thousands of pieces of data about our young people annually.

We believe it is hugely important for our young people, their parents and guardians, and our staff members to have the opportunity to impart their experiences on academic research projects to shape the future of best practice when it comes to supporting those with autism and complex needs.

A programme is being developed to collate the findings of research projects which have an impact on best practice. The language used in these findings will be adapted to be more accessible to those who would benefit from reading such research outcomes.

Read our criteria for applications

Research Matters Newsletters

The Prior’s Court Research Programme has a bi-annual e-newsletter which updates subscribers on news and updates from research projects being conducted at Prior’s Court. Sign up to the newsletter below. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Read the most recent newsletter    Sign up to receive Research Matters

Previous issues of the newsletter - Winter 2021, Summer 2021, Winter 2020, Summer 2020 and April 2020

Find out more about our Research Programme

To find out more about the Research Programme at Prior's Court or to receive an Application and Ethical Review Form to apply to undertake a research study at Prior’s Court, please get in touch:

Contact the Research Board