Claire Hughes

Claire Hughes completed her first degree and her PhD (on the topic of executive function in autism) at the University of Cambridge. She then spent two years in Paris as a post-doctoral research fellow, where she worked at the Hopital Robert Debre and INSERM at the University of Paris V, investigating executive functions in parents and siblings of children with autism.

Returning to the UK, Claire worked for 6 years at the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre where she collaborated with Professor Judy Dunn in two parallel studies of ‘hard to manage’ preschoolers and typically developing preschool friends. Claire then returned to Cambridge and joined the Centre for Family Research and Newnham College. She is currently a Deputy Head for the Psychology Department (Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity), Deputy Director of the Centre for Family Research, Director of Studies at Newnham College and Subject Convenor for the PBS Tripos.

Claire's new book is The Psychology of Starting School: An evidence-based guide for parents and teachers.