About
Dr Robert French serves as a Research Fellow at Cardiff University's WISERD Education Data Lab and leads the Education theme for Administrative Data Research Wales (ADRW). His work bridges pediatric health conditions and educational outcomes through advanced analysis of linked administrative datasets across Wales.
Research focuses on critical intersections of social determinants and learning:
- Methodological development for multilevel statistical analysis of health-education data linkage
- Impact of type 1 diabetes on educational attainment
- Socioeconomic drivers of school absence and special educational needs
- Geospatial modeling of household factors shaping educational trajectories
Current projects include leading 'Participation in and Progression Through Education in Wales' to inform Welsh Government policy, analyzing timing effects of Additional Learning Needs support, and contributing to ADR Wales' geospatial outcomes research. His December 2024 blog for the International Journal of Population Data Science explores global child health-education data collaboration, while August 2024 work with Jennifer Keating examines unmet health needs in persistent school absence for UK Parliament inquiries.
As part of the WISERD Education Data Lab team, French contributes to Cardiff's UNICEF Child Friendly City designation through evidence-based policy development, leveraging census-education data linkages to advance children's rights in urban planning and educational provision.
