She previously worked as project manager on the National Evaluation of Gifted and Talented Physical Education which was funded by the Youth Sports Trust.  She was part of an expert group seeking to develop participant development models for the Professional Golfers’ Association and has been a named reviewer on a report looking at a new model of Physical Activity and Sport Participation for Children and Young People.  She is currently working on a pilot study exploring the importance of touch in parenting children with autism and tactile defensiveness and mapping parents’ perceptions to a possible intervention.  Research interests include embodiment, embodied reflective practice and how it relates to professional practice, children’s expressions of their sense of embodiment, and children’s reflective practice along with aspects of physical activity, learning disability, autism and sport.

Teaching Jennifer has taught on both undergraduate and post-graduate courses at the Tizard Centre.

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Publications:

Bailey, R.P., Leigh J., Pearce, G., Sharrock, R., Reeves, M., Cope, El, Dismore, H., Quarmby, T., Doughty, L., Peacock, S. (2011) National Impact Evaluation of the Gifted and Talented Physical Education and Sport Programme. Loughborough: Youth Sport Trust.

Leigh, J., Bailey, R.P., (2011) Reflection, Reflective Practice and Embodied Reflective Practice. Submitted to Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy.

Leigh, J. (in press) Book Review: Effective Action Research: Developing Reflective Thinking and Practice. Educational Research and Evaluation.

 

 

Working Papers:

Children's reflections on embodiment through journaling, mark making and drawing

Children's experience of inner structure.

Children's experience of embodied emotion.

Systematic review of profound, intellectual and multiple disability (PIMD): Carers and Families. With Dr Julie Beadle-Brown

Systematic review of profound, intellectual and multiple disability (PIMD): Communication including intensive interaction. With Dr Julie Beadle-Brown

Book review for Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disability "Different speeds & different needs: How to teach sports to every kid" Gary Barber.

Gifted and Talented Physical Education: case studies of best practice. With Professor Richard Bailey, Gemma Pearch (University of Birmingham), Matthew Reeves (Liverpool John Moores University) and Ed Cope (University of Bedfordshire).

Gifted and Talented Physical Education: Student and staff perceptions. With Ed Copy (University of Bedfordshire), Professor Richard Bailey, Gemma Pearce (University of Birmingham), Matthew Reeves (Liverpool John Moores University).

Gifted and Talented Physical Education: Statistical Analysis. With Gemma Pearce (University of Birmingham), Professor Richard Bailey, Matthew Reeves (Liverpool John Moores University) and Ed Cope (University of Bedfordshire)

Gifted and Talented Physical Education; Lead Delivery Agencies. With Matthews Reeves (Liverpool John Moores University), Professor Richard Bailey, Gemma Pearce (University of Birmingham) and Ed Cope (University of Bedfordshire)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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AHRC and Tizard Centre, University of Kent – ‘Imagining Autism’ Evaluation (Project Manager), 2011 to date.

National Institute for Health Research School of Social Care Research and Tizard Centre, University of Kent – ‘Costs and Outcomes of Skilled Support for Individuals with Complex Needs’ (Project Manager), 2010 to date.

Kent County Council and Tizard Centre, University of Kent – ‘The Situation of People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities in Kent’ (Researcher), 2010 – 2011.

Youth Sports Trust – ‘National Impact Evaluation of the Gifted and Talented Physical Education and Sport Programme’ (Project Manager), 2010 – 2011.

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