Dr Suzi Sapiets

Suzi is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Tizard Centre, working with the Sharland Foundation Developmental Disabilities ABA Research and Impact Network (SF-DDARIN), researching positive behavioural support for people with developmental disabilities (including intellectual disabilities and/or autism). She obtained her BSc in Psychology from the University of East Anglia in 2013 and subsequently gained experience working with children and adults with developmental disabilities in a range of clinical, educational and community settings. This experience sparked her passion to conduct research to improve quality of life for people with developmental disabilities, their families and those that support them.

Suzi recently completed her PhD at the University of Warwick, researching access to early years support for children with developmental disabilities and their families, from recognition and identification of need, through to the provision of support from services across education, health and social care systems, in addition to targeted early interventions. Suzi is also establishing and coordinating a special interest research group Embracing Complexity in Neurodevelopmental Conditions and Mental Health with the Embracing Complexity coalition, funded by Emerging Minds. She is also a member of the Restraint Reduction Network research subgroup.

Suzi has extensive experience working on research in collaboration with various academic and non-academic organisations on topics such as early intervention for children with autism, the use and impact of restrictive interventions in schools, gathering the views of people with developmental disabilities with behaviour described as challenging, and embracing complexity in research across neurodevelopmental conditions and mental health. She is also part of the University’s Disability Staff Network as she is autistic and has lived experience of mental health conditions.

• Neurodivergence and developmental disabilities, primarily autism and intellectual disabilities
• Improving access to support and service accessibility for people with developmental disabilities and their families
• Early support for children with developmental disabilities and their families
• Mental health in people with developmental disabilities
• Positive behavioural support across the lifespan for people with developmental disabilities