WELS Tutor Dr Emilia Misheva joins UNESCO’s Inclusive Policy Lab

Dr Emilia Misheva (ECYS) has joined UNESCO's Inclusive Policy Lab as an expert member, with a focus on the wellbeing of autistic children and young people in education. Emilia will be leading the newly created ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing of Autistic Children in Education’ team which aims to investigate how education settings can actively promote the wellbeing of autistic children.

Dr Misheva said:

 "The mental health of autistic children and young people is a policy and research area that has not always been given the attention it deserves. There is now a growing recognition that in order for autistic children to thrive in education, their emotional wellbeing should not be considered in isolation from their educational needs and experiences, as those can have profound implications for their mental health - both positive and negative.”

Membership of the team will be made up of autistic people; researchers, education and mental health practitioners; members of government and non-government organisations, as well as policy makers. They will address the barriers that autistic children and young people may face in schools and other educational settings.

Dr Misheva continued: “The team will explore how educational settings can create nurturing, supportive and truly inclusive environments for autistic children, and will also aim to bring together examples of best practice and research, amplify the voices of autistic young people and inform future policy and practice in this area".

A chartered member of the British Psychological Society, Dr Misheva is a practitioner psychologist with a specialist interest in paediatric neuropsychology, autism, inclusion, and children, young people and families' mental health and wellbeing. Her first book, Child Neuropsychology in Practice, was published by Palgrave in 2021 and she is currently working on her next book with a focus on autism and girls.