Faculty of Health, Sport and Behavioural Sciences
Michelle is an Associate Professor in Child and Family Wellbeing within the Faculty of Health, Sport and Behavioural Sciences (FHSBS) at the University of Northampton. She is Postgraduate Research Lead and within this role advises prospective students on PhD, M Phil, and professional doctorate studies.
She is programme leader of the Doctor of Professional Practice in Health and Social Care and Admissions Tutor for research degrees within FHSBS. Her research focuses on child and family wellbeing and disability studies. She co-chairs the Health Research Ethics Committee and advises researchers and practitioners on the ethical issues associated with research.
Michelle is also a qualified play therapist and uses this creative, child centred perspective to underpin how use of creative methods in both research and pedagogy.
Michelle is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and teaches research methods and ethics across a range of cohorts and disciplines. She is programme leader for the Doctor of Professional Practice in Health and Social Care (DProfPrac) and coordinates the FHSBS staff researcher development offer. She supervises both professional doctorate and PhD students and acts as an independent Chair for thesis examinations.
She mentors a number of early career researchers and runs an early career researcher group for ECRs in nursing. Michelle’s teaching is underpinned by creative approaches to learning. She holds a pastoral role for research degree students in FHSBS and is the personal academic tutor for all DProfPrac students.
Michelle led on the University’s Researcher Development Pathway for staff. She has co-authored ethics reviewer training and independent learning modules on research ethics for health students.
Michelle’s research lies in qualitative work with children, young people and families in contexts of disability, care and wellbeing. Her doctorate explored how leisure, space and environment shape the everyday experiences of teenage wheelchair users. She has since published widely on topics including research ethics, children’s geographies, service evaluation and participatory methods, notably the co-edited book Children, Young People and Care (Routledge, 2017) with Professor John Horton.
Recent projects have focussed on promoting digital literacy among children using participatory digital tools, intergenerational play between school children and people living with dementia, neurodiversity and cyber dependent offending, the development of ethical evaluation frameworks for cancer prevention in Northamptonshire. In 2024 Michelle co-authored a peer reviewed article on consent processes in dementia research presenting novel findings about flexible participants entered consent pathways. Other recent journal contributions include work on young peoples aspirations through drama, and resilience among mental health nurses in secure settings.
Michelle is actively engaged in public involvement and participatory design, connecting researchers practitioners children and community stakeholders. She sits on the university’s research Ethics Committee, Co chairs the Faculty’s Health Research Ethics Committee and regularly offers ethical advice and review support to colleagues and external researchers.
For publications, projects, datasets, research interests and activities, view Michelle Pyer’s research profile on Pure, the University of Northampton’s Research Explorer.