Welcome to The Liberty Research School, we are committed to filling the critical gap in autism research by focusing on the real-world experiences and needs of Autistic children and young people.

I am Chrissie Johnston, the Head of Liberty Research School and a Doctoral Candidate at the University of East London (UEL). I have a background in psychology and special education. With an undergraduate degree in Psychology and hands-on experience in roles ranging from Assistant Psychologist to Therapy Team Lead, I have dedicated my career to improving educational outcomes for Autistic young people.

My approach is rooted in the belief that Autistic young people should play an active role in informing the research and interventions that affect their lives. I am committed to collaborating with students, families, and professionals to develop evidence-based practices that enhance educational outcomes and quality of life for Autistic pupils. Our Research School aims to be a beacon of innovation, learning and collaboration.

We are dedicated to ensuring that our research directly informs the educational practices and policies that impact students, informing learning and professional development for all. As part of this mission, we are continually developing our training offer, including the Improving Teaching Programme (ITP) and Autism Leadership programmes, to provide educators with the tools they need to support Autistic students effectively.

We are proud to be active partners with leading institutions, such as, the University of Reading, University of Chichester, University of East London, Birmingham Newman, and Warwick University, collaborating to advance autism research. One of the exciting projects our schools are involved in, is the BrainWaves project, collaborating with the University of Oxford to improve mental health support for students. We are bringing our knowledge and valuable insights from autistic young people regarding the resources that have been shared to contribute to the creation of more effective mental health supports within schools.

At Liberty Research School, we also offer training courses which are available to book online, please click here to find out more.

If you would like to find out more about our Research School, or partner with us, please contact: ResearchSchool@libertytrust.org.uk