Higher education (HE) is fairly accommodating of sexual diversity in many countries. However, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and other sexual minority (LGBT+) students and staff still face many challenges regarding acceptance and integration which may impact learning and teaching experiences. This article discusses the relevance of LGBT+…

UK academics currently report increased workplace stress and workload, with decreased work-life balance, but often feel reluctant to disclose mental distress. We distributed an anonymous online qualitative survey to explore factors which lead academics to decide whether to disclose mental distress in the workplace. Thirty-one participants…

This article explores the issue of workplace visibility and signs and symbols of LGBTQ+ identity in a UK university. A poststructuralist Butlerian theoretical framework underpins this article. Sexual and gender identities are understood as multiple and fragmented, and constructed in relation to others and within the systems of power and knowledge…

LGBTQ+ teachers have been noted to struggle with conflicting professional and personal subjectivities within schools, which are sites of (re)production of heteronormativity. This clash relies upon positioning LGBTQ+ as an adult activity in opposition to discourses of childhood, which are framed around protection and innocence. This research,…

This paper explores the lived experience of university students with dyslexia, focusing on identity and self-esteem. The qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with five students with dyslexia and discussions with learning support tutors at four UK universities. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed the impact of dyslexia's…

In this pilot study, we report on the feasibility, acceptability and potential impact of 'Who, When, How to Share', a new disclosure decision-making programme for autistic adults. We evaluated this programme using pre-post mixed-methods surveys that included questions about participants' experiences of the programme and four psychosocial outcome…

Background: Little is known about the health literacy of children living with long-term conditions. This study aimed to gain insight into the life of children with a long-term condition in the context of health literacy, specifically their understanding of their health and the barriers and facilitators to sharing information about their condition…

In addition to the mounting stresses associated with teaching in the UK resulting from decades of neoliberal reform (Ball, 2021), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) teachers experience a range of challenges to their professional identity from institutions that perpetuate the gender binary and hegemonic heteronormativity.…

This briefing is intended to support Universities UK (UUK) members ahead of the implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act. The government introduced the Act with the intention of strengthening freedom of speech and academic freedom in higher education in England, and received Royal Assent in May 2023. The legislation will have…

Autistic individuals often struggle to find and maintain employment. This may be because many workplaces are not suited to autistic individuals' needs. Among other difficulties, many autistic employees experience distracting or disruptive sensory environments, lack of flexibility in work hours, and unclear communication from colleagues. One…

This paper presents the findings of a survey exploring people's understandings and experiences of Spiritual Abuse (SA) in a Christian faith context. The online survey was completed by 1591 individuals from the UK, 1002 of whom identified as having experienced SA. Inclusion criteria were: membership of the Christian faith, being or having been, a…

This study sought to increase understanding on barriers to securing academic employment met by people with disabilities. Lindsay and Fuentes [2022. "It is Time to Address Ableism in Academia: A Systematic Review of the Experiences and Impact of Ableism among Faculty and Staff." "Disabilities" 2 (2): 178-203] pointed out the…

Artificial intelligence can support increasingly complex conversational interactions and also has the potential to interpret meanings from free text input and make recommendations based on patterns in data. There are important opportunities to apply this to real-world problems faced in access to education. In this paper, we summarise existing…

Two young men disclosed emotional, sexual and physical abuse while attending college and living with Shared Lives carers in the UK. This paper provides a narrative account of the period when the two men were exposed to the abuse, the disclosures, the investigation and the legal and safeguarding investigation outcomes. A second paper describes the…

First-year undergraduate students in the United Kingdom undergo significant change in their lives as they embark upon their university experience. They may be exposed to various social and psychological factors that increase their risk of poor sexual health. Indeed, epidemiological data suggest that young people (including students) face sexual…