> Home

• The Division
• Postgraduate Studies
• Research
• News and Events
• Staff
• Publications
• Links
• Contact Us

Learning Disability (Intellectual Disability)

The Division of Health Research at Lancaster University is one of the leading research centres in the UK in the field of intellectual (or learning disability). 
Our aim is to undertake high quality research and development that is directly relevant to supporting the inclusion and quality of life of children and adults with learning disabilities in the North West, nationally and internationally.
We have close working links with, among others, the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health (Division of Psychiatry), the Welsh Centre on Learning Disabilities (University of Wales College of Medicine), the Centre for Disability Studies (University College Dublin), the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies (University of Sydney), and the Australian Family & Disability Studies Research Collaboration (University of Sydney).

Professor Eric Emerson (Professor of Disability and Health Research), Professor Chris Hatton (Professor of Psychology, Health & Social Care) and Dr Janet Robertson (Lecturer in Health Research) all joined the DHR in 2001 from the Hester Adrian Research Centre at the University of Manchester. Professor Glynis Murphy (Professor of Clinical Psychology of Learning Disability) joined the DHR in April 2004 from the Tizard Centre, University of Kent.

• Eric has worked with people with learning disabilities since 1975. He has long standing research interests in the fields of social exclusion, supported accommodation, outcome measurement and challenging behaviour.
• Chris has worked with people with learning disabilities since 1989, and has particular interests in service quality and quality of life, staff, ethnicity and religion, the criminal justice system, and mental health.
• Janet has worked in learning disabilities research since joining the Hester Adrian Research Centre in 1993 and has experience of applying a wide range of research methods to the field of learning disabilities.

The Hester Adrian Research Centre

The Hester Adrian Research Centre (HARC) at the University of Manchester closed in 2000. During the 1980's and 90s HARC was the leading specialist research centre in the field of learning disabilities in Europe. Many HARC Publications are now available from the DHR.

Learning Disability Research News by E-mail

We have a dedicated electronic mailing list for Learning Disability research newsletters and other information. Anyone can join and it is free of charge. To subscribe, please send an e-mail to Eric Emerson and ask for your e-mail address to be added