DrKate Carr-Fanning

Kate Carr-Fanning, B.A., PGCE, PhD, FHEA, C.Psychol



Kate is an Assistant Professor, the Director of Inclusive Education, and is the Programmes Director for both the Masters in Education (Inclusive Education) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Special Educational Needs in University College Dublin (UCD).

Kate has over a decade of experience of lecturing and programme leadership, in universities in England and Ireland, in the areas of inclusive education, educational psychology, psychology of education, and teacher education. Before completing her Ph.D., Kate joined the School of Psychology in Coventry University where she was a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director. After which she began as an Assistant Professor in Psychology of Education in the School of Education at the University of Bristol. Kate continues to work with University of Bristol as an Honorary Academic, supervising doctoral students and as an active member in research centres. Kate is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). 

Kate's passion for research and for working with stakeholders to explore and promote inclusive education, she is particularly interested in the application of psychology to inclusive education and Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Kate's research focuses on the needs and experiences of students with social, emotional, and/or mental health difficulties and/or challenging behaviour in schools. She has a particular interest in neurodivergences, especially ADHD and Autism. She has developed and tested programmes of intervention (clinical and school-based) for these learners, explored experiences of empowerment and belonging, identity, the neurodivergent female experience, family dynamics, and lay people’s understanding of behaviour and mental health. Beginning with her doctoral studies, Kate has a particular interest in participatory research and practice, including children’s voice and creative child-friendly research methods. She believes that research and practice should be done ‘with’ neurodivergent people. 

Kate she is an expeirenced supervisor of doctoral candidates (across Educational Psychology and Education) and reseachers. Current topics include ADHD, Autism, Emotion-based School Avoidance (EBSA), neuro-affirmative practice, peer acceptance / stigma, intervention development and evaluation, proffessional collaboration, and mental health / wellbeing.

Kate has spoken about her research and published nationally and internationally – writing book chapters and books (e.g., Lived Places Publishing, Open University Press), and articles (both peer reviewed scientific and lay articles) in her areas of interest. She has been on several Editorial Board and regularly reivews for several journals, including: Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs (JORSEN), Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, Brain Sciences, and Frontiers in Education.

Kate has almost 20 years of experience working with and in a range of national and international ADHD and SEN organisations, engaging in research and supporting service development and evaluation. At present, she is a Director of ADHD Ireland and she sits on the Professional Advisory Board of ADHD Europe.