PhD Partnerships families PIMD and formal/informal carers

Research at the Research Unit of Parenting and Special Education, aims at (1) acquiring insight into the antecedents, nature and consequences of typical and atypical parenting, and of typical and atypical developmental, learning and behavioral processes and (2 ) contributing to the development of effective strategies for the prevention, diagnosis and interventions with regard to parenting, developmental, learning and behavioral problems. The group consists of 9 senior academic staff, several post-docs and about 40 doctoral students. The current project is part of the line of research on disability and (families of) persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD).
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Project

Parents have a central and often lifelong role in supporting their child with severe or profound intellectual disability (SPID). They encounter many challenges, causing them to seek support and share care. This does not always work smoothly, because of limited availability and use of support, limited or inadequate collaboration with and between informal caregivers and professionals, and fragmentation of formal as well as informal support sources. The main aim of this project is to get more insight into the perceived quality and effectiveness of formal and informal support and of the collaboration with and between informal caregivers and professionals, and to strengthen supportive partnerships between parents, informal caregivers and professionals. In a survey study, we describe different dimensions of the informal and formal support systems of parents and their child with SPID, identify influencing child and family characteristics and study the effects of support on family quality of life. In an interview study the perspectives of all stakeholders on collaborative partnerships between families, informal caregivers and professionals are analyzed more deeply. In a participatory action research a procedure and targeted strategies are implemented to strengthen these collaborative partnerships, to increase the families' quality of life.

Profile

• You have a master's degree in educational sciences, psychology or an equivalent and relevant degree, or you will obtain that degree before 1st October 2025
• You are enthusiastic, driven and eager to learn 
• You are interested in the development and care of people with profound and multiple disabilities 
• You are self-managing and have a sense of initiative, but you are also a team player 
• You are good at organizing and planning 
• Experience with research involving people with disabilities (research internship, research project) is a plus 
• You are willing to embark on a PhD trajectory

Offer

We offer you a position as a full-time PhD student, starting at the latest on October 1, 2025 for a period of 4 years (provided a positive evaluation after 12 months). As a PhD student, you will end up in a stimulating, international research environment.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Bea Maes, tel.: +32 16 32 62 24, mail: [email protected] or Mrs. Sien Vandesande, tel.: +32 16 37 69 44, mail: [email protected].

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