UEA Developmental Dynamics Lab

13/10/2026

Norfolk families with babies and young children wanted!

Join UEA's Developmental Lab for fun research exploring how babies and children learn, grow and develop!

We have several exciting studies running or starting over the coming months, and we'd love to welcome more families to take part.

In particular, we're looking for:
👶 Newborn babies up to 12 months old for upcoming research, including studies taking place in families' homes.
🧸 Babies and toddlers aged 9–31 months for studies in our child-friendly labs exploring early learning and development.

All families are welcome, and we're particularly keen to hear from those with a family history of ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, or speech and language difficulties or delays, as well as families with children who were born prematurely.

Taking part is completely voluntary, and registering your interest doesn't commit you to anything. If this sounds like something your family might enjoy, we'd love to hear from you!

Register here for more information: https://ddlab.ripplescience.com/survey/txmAWFzaaAT3vWQ7h/oe9eJwCJpWfCm6NMH/form

17/09/2026

Our colleagues are still looking for participants...

Can you help our colleagues with their research? If you know a family who may be interested, please share..

Dr Sharon Black is looking for deaf children aged 7–11 years to take part in a study investigating subtitles for TV and films.

Children with severe to profound bilateral deafness are eligible to participate, including children who use cochlear implants or hearing aids, and those whose first language is either BSL or English. Participation will help advance research on subtitles for deaf children.

Participants will receive a £60 Amazon voucher as a thank you for their time. The session lasts approximately two hours, and a BSL interpreter is available.

BSL information video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aRExovTMG4
With thanks to Holly Lane RSLI RSLT for creating the BSL information video.

To sign up, click here: https://forms.office.com/e/GezCF2T9sS

For further information, please contact Sharon at [email protected]

31/07/2026

We have just a couple of places left on our longitudinal study looking at early attention and memory development and ADHD. We are looking for toddlers with a family history of ADHD to take part in a fun, baby-friendly study.
✨ Short session each year (under 1 hour)
🎁 £10 voucher + small gift
🚗 Free parking/transport
📅 Weekend appointments available

Interested? Or know someone who might be? Register here: https://ddlab.ripplescience.com/survey/txmAWFzaaAT3vWQ7h/RYpd8f6zJIzOCo-pH/form?source=IMPACT3107

30/07/2026

☀️ It's a beautiful day to be out in the community!

The UEA Developmental Lab is spending the day at Bugs and Beasts with Norwich Science Festival, sharing science-themed crafts, meeting local families and chatting about our child development research.

We love opportunities like this to take psychology beyond the lab and connect with our local community.

Thanks to everyone who's stopped by to say hello! ❤️

29/07/2026

Our research at the UEA Developmental Lab has highlighted the challenges many hearing parents of deaf children face in accessing affordable and timely British Sign Language (BSL) tuition.

We're grateful to Clive Lewis MP for raising these findings with the Minister and seeking answers about how families can be better supported.

We look forward to seeing how this important conversation develops.

I have written to the Minister to raise concerns about access to British Sign Language (BSL) support for families of deaf children.

Research from the University of East Anglia highlights that many hearing parents of deaf children struggle to access affordable and timely BSL tuition, despite early language development being so important for a child's communication, learning and wellbeing.

Every family should have the support they need to communicate with their child from the earliest possible stage. I've asked the Government what support is currently available, whether it has assessed regional disparities in access to BSL learning, and what further steps it is taking to ensure families receive the help they need.

22/07/2026

Final call for participants for this study - can you help us?

06/07/2026

🎉 UPDATE: We've now filled this space – thank you so much everyone!

Due to a cancellation, we have a last-minute opportunity for a family to take part in a research study at Norwich Castle Museum today at 3:00pm.

If you have a child aged 12–24 months and are available this afternoon, we'd love to hear from you!

We’re looking for children aged 12–24 months to take part in a research study at Norwich Castle Museum 👶🏛️

You and your child will explore museum exhibits together while your child wears a small, lightweight eye-tracking headband. This will help us understand how young children engage with museum spaces and what captures their attention during a visit.

⏱ The study takes less than an hour, and you’ll stay with your child throughout.

📅 Research sessions are available on selected Monday afternoons across May, June and July.

🎁 Families who take part will receive:
• Free entry to Norwich Castle Museum for your visit
• Parking or bus costs covered
• A voucher for future entry to Norfolk Museum sites (for up to five people)
• A book for your child

If you're free on Monday afternoons and fancy trying something a little different, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch and we can run through a few quick screening questions with you

26/06/2026

We're here with the BLoCKS team today from 10am–4pm at at the Forum!

👋 Come say hello to us!
🎁 Enter our ⭐Baby’s First BSL Library⭐ prize draw
🧠 Learn about our child development research and how families with hearing and deaf babies can take part in our studies
💬 Hear about our work investigating how language access influences what babies learn about the world around them