Rachel Collum

Rachel Collum is a Research Fellow at the University of Sunderland’s School of Psychology, focusing on neonatal care and developmental psychology. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in Family Integrated Care (FICare) and neurodiverse populations, particularly autism and Williams syndrome. She teaches modules such as PSY271 Skills for Life and PSY266 Investigating Complex Issues in Psychology, and leads BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology as route leader.

Her research examines

• Family support models in neonatal units
• Long-term developmental outcomes for preterm infants
• Preterm identity in young people/adults
• Social-cognitive profiles in neurodiverse populations

She collaborates with charities like Tiny Lives and Lady Sarra Hoy, holding a UKRI grant for co-producing creative methods to study preterm identity.

Key trends in her publications include neonatal care innovation, neurodiverse developmental trajectories, and parental mental health. Her work spans clinical psychology, educational psychology, and social-cognitive research, with a focus on real-world healthcare and educational applications.

Rachel’s professional activities include

• Deputy Chair of the Psychology Department Athena Swan committee
• Developing standardized assessments (ADOS II, ADI-R)
• Advocacy for parental co-production in neonatal ethics

She took maternity leave from February 2023 to January 2024.