I was awarded a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree at Coventry University, and a MEd Psychology of Education at University of Manchester. I completed my fully funded PhD in 2012, which investigated risk and protective factors for behaviour difficulties in children with special education needs and disabilities.
Outside academia, I have worked within primary and secondary schools with children with special education needs and disabilities and have taught English as a foreign language in Spain and Guatemala. More recently, I have had various roles working at the University of Manchester and Edge Hill University before coming to Manchester Metropolitan University.