Claire Ballard is a researcher in developmental psychology and practising counsellor. At King’s College London she currently works as a Research Assistant on the OPTIMA RCT programme [ https://optimastudy.co.uk/ ], led by King’s in collaboration with the universities of Nottingham and Southampton. Funded by an NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research, OPTIMA aims to help parents to manage their children’s disruptive and defiant behaviours via support offered through a digital app-based parent training course called STEPS. As part of her role on OPTIMA, she leads the very supportive and engaged PPI panel; listen here to a recent podcast they participated in for Tooled Up Education [https://open.spotify.com/episode/0MpxlldheUQjWJuy2xJ9Oj?si=8Xw_sYEoTYiQl-qXnb6SlA&nd=1&dlsi=088468b7a391483d ].

Claire has a background in project management in the public sector and joined Prof Sonuga-Barke’s ExPAND research group in 2017. Claire also holds a qualification in psychotherapeutic counselling and works in private practice supporting clients through a range of life challenges and emotional difficulties.

Research Interests 

• Mental health
• Neuro-atypicality and neuro-developmental disorders in children and adolescents
• Parental and whole-family wellbeing
• Digital parenting interventions

Expertise and public engagement

Claire has presented on the OPTIMA programme at national and international conferences, and has presented to university and schools students on different aspects of her career.