Wolverhampton Intellectual Disability Network (WIDeN)

Our mission

WIDeN is a multidisciplinary interest group focusing on widening participation, increasing inclusion, improving wellbeing, and enhancing knowledge, advocacy and support for people with intellectual disabilities through research, teaching and community work.    

WIDeN Meetings

Meetings take place 3 or 4 times a year, usually on Wednesday lunchtimes at the University of Wolverhampton.  They are a forum for people working in and researching in the field of learning disabilities to come together to share and discuss research and developments in good practice. They enable opportunities for research and practice partnerships with people with learning disabilities, their families and those who support them, and with specialist and generic services, organisations and institutions.

Research themes

  • Inclusive Research
  • Internet Use, Digital Inclusion & Online Risks
  • Societal & Health Inequalities
  • Family Carers’ Experiences
  • Policy Research
  • Education and Transition
  • Complex Support Needs
  • Supporting Communication
  • Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles
  • Forensic Issues and Support in the Criminal Justice System

WIDeN Reports

The easy read report about the research project 'Getting involved in the election 2015' which was a collaboration between the WIDeN group in the University of Wolverhampton, Dudley Voices for Choice, Friends 2 Friends Lichfield and Building Bridges Training is now available. Download the report.

Recent Publications

Croom, S., Chadwick, D., Nicholls, W., & McGarry, A. (2021). The experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities attending a mindfulness-based group intervention. British Journal of Learning Disabilities [https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12359]

Brewster, S., & Thompson, D. (2020). Disability, diversity and inclusive placement learning. In Understanding Contemporary Issues in Higher Education: Contradictions, Complexities and Challenges, 132.

Chadwick, D.D. & Wesson, C.J. (2020). ‘Blocked at Every Level’: Criminal justice system professionals’ experiences of including people with intellectual disabilities within a targeted Magistrates’ court. Journal of Intellectual Disability and Offending Behaviour. [Early online, https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDOB-07-2019-0014]

Drozd, M., Chadwick, D., & Jester, R. (2020). A cross‐case comparison of the trauma and orthopaedic hospital experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Nursing Open.

Drozd, M., Chadwick, D., & Jester, R. (2020). An integrative review of the hospital experiences of people with an intellectual disability: Lack of orthopaedic and trauma perspectives. International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing, 100795.

Drozd, M., Chadwick, D., & Jester, R. (2020). The voices of people with an intellectual disability and a carer about orthopaedic and trauma hospital care in the UK: An Interpretative phenomenological study. International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing, 100831.

Goldschmied, A. Z. (2020) "Ten effects of hidden, mental dis/abilities and the act of disclosure." Social Research and Disability: Developing Inclusive Research Spaces for Disabled Researchers, 34.

Oliver, C., Adams, D., Allen, D., Crawford, H., Heald, M., Moss, J., ... & Woodcock, K. (2020). The behaviour and wellbeing of children and adults with severe intellectual disability and complex needs: the Be-Well checklist for carers and professionals. Paediatrics and Child Health.

Tilly, L. (2020).Exploring ethical issues arising from ten years of inclusive research with people with a learning disability. SENTIO.

Chadwick, D.D. (2019). Online risk for people with intellectual disabilities. Tizard Learning Disability Review, 24(4), 180-187. [https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-03-2019-0008]

Chadwick, D., Buell, S. & Goldbart, J. (2019). Approaches to communication assessment with children and adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 32(2), 336-358.

Mooney, F., Rafique, N., & Tilly, L. (2019). Getting involved in the community—What stops us? Findings from an inclusive research project. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 47(4), 241-246.

Tilly, L. (2019). Experiences of loneliness: People with a learning disability and barriers to community inclusion. In Emotions and loneliness in a networked society (pp. 201-221). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Tilly, L. (2019). Afraid to leave the house: issues leading to social exclusion and loneliness for people with a learning disability. Tizard Learning Disability Review, 24(4), pp. 168-175. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-02-2019-0005

Chadwick, D. D., & Platt, T. (2018). Investigating humor in social interaction in people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review of the literature. Frontiers in psychology, 9, Article 1745.

Chadwick, D. D. (2018) Dysphagia Management for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Practitioner Identified Processes, Barriers and Solutions. Journal of Policy & Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(4), 319-331

Chadwick, D.D. & Fullwood, C. (2018). An Online Life Like Any Other:  Identity, self-determination and social networking among adults with intellectual disabilities. Cyberpsychology, Behaviour & Social Networking, 21(1), 56-64

Robertson, J., Chadwick, D.D., Baines, S., Emerson, E. & Hatton, C. (2018). People with intellectual disabilities and dysphagia. Disability & Rehabilitation, 40, 11, 1345-1360

Brewster, S., Duncan, N., Emira, M., & Clifford, A. (2017). Personal sacrifice and corporate cultures: Career progression for disabled staff in higher education. Disability & Society, 32(7), 1027-1042.

Buell, S., & Chadwick, D. (2017). Meeting the communication support needs of children and young people with intellectual disabilities in the Bolivian Andes. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 21(3), 220-234.

Chadwick, D. D. (2017). Dysphagia Management for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Practitioner Identified Processes, Barriers and Solutions. Journal of Policy & Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(4), 319-331.

Chadwick, D.D., Brewster, S. Karakatsani, E., McFeeters, D., Scott, D., Tilly, L. Welsh, M., Westwood, L., Dudley Voices for Choice, Friends 2 Friends Lichfield and Building Bridges Training. (2017). Getting Involved in the Election 2015: Research Project Report. The University of Wolverhampton

Robertson, J., Hatton, C., Chadwick, D.D., Baines, S. & Emerson, E. (2017). Prevalence of dysphagia in people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 55(6), 377-391

Robertson, J., Hatton, C., Chadwick, D.D., Baines, S. & Emerson, E. (2017). Prevalence of dysphagia in people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 55(6), 377-391.

Seale, J., & Chadwick, D. (2017). How does risk mediate the ability of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live a normal life by using the Internet?. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 11(1), article 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/CP2017-1-2

Seale, J., & Chadwick, D. (2017). How does risk mediate the ability of adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live a normal life by using the Internet? Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 11(1), article 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/CP2017-1-2.

 

Group interests

  • Training future professionals
  • Socialisation, Interaction & Communication 
  • Advocacy & Self-determination
  • Vulnerability and Abuse
  • Use of Generic Services & Service Provision
  • Wellbeing & Resilience
  • Diverse, disadvantaged and overlooked issues for people with learning disabilities

Steering group

Dr Stephanie Brewster

Dr Liz Tilly

Lynne Westwood

Wolverhampton Staff Members

  • Debbie Allen
  • Stephanie Brewster
  • Mary Drozd
  • Anita Z. Goldschmied
  • Peter Harwood
  • Sean Ledington
  • David R. Ormerod
  • Graeme Simpson
  • Sean Starr
  • Liz Tilly
  • Caroline J. Wesson
  • Lynne R. Westwood

Your participation

The group welcomes those who would like to network and cooperate to share skills and provide developmental opportunities in:

  • research
  • publishing
  • teaching
  • practice

If you would like to work with us as a group please email one of the members of the steering committee and we will take it to the next meeting.

Our partners

  • Building Bridges
  • Dudley Voices for Choice
  • Friends to Friends
  • SUCCESS

Doctoral Projects

Fiona A. Clements ‘What are the experiences of online negative comments for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities?’ Supervised by Dr. Darren Chadwick & Dr. Lisa Orchard.

Anita Z Goldschmied ‘Rendering the invisible visible: the application of Actor-Network-Theory to hidden dis/abilities’ Supervised by Dr William Pawlett, Prof. Meena Dhanda, Dr Dean-David Holyoake.

Priya Mishra ‘The relationship between world beliefs and attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities’ Supervised by Dr. Darren Chadwick & Dr. Debbie Allen.

Nicholas Manktelow ‘Supporting the political engagement of people with learning disabilities’ Supervised by Dr. Darren Chadwick, Dr. Liz Tilly & Dr. Stephanie Brewster.