Fellow: Dr Georgia Bird; Partner: UK Sports Institute (UKSI); School/Dept: School of Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences
My fellowship aims to build on current good practice by co-developing the first international consensus statement for mental health support at the Paralympic Games. The goal is to establish consistent standards for care before, during, and after the Games, ensuring that mental health is treated as a core component of athlete wellbeing. What makes this project unique is its athlete-centred approach: the framework is being shaped by those who work with or alongside Paralympic athletes, not just for them. This includes coaches, mental health clinicians and practitioners, researchers, and athletes themselves, whose lived experiences are central to the design process.
The fellowship will follow a Delphi methodology to gather expert consensus, ensuring the framework is both robust and practically relevant. This will be complemented by qualitative research and public engagement activities to amplify diverse perspectives and promote inclusive dialogue. These engagement activities will include interactive workshops, athlete-led discussions, and the development of accessible resources to promote mental health literacy and inclusive practice across the sports system. They are designed to ensure that the framework is not only academically rigorous but also widely understood, adopted, and sustained.
Highlights so far include the acceptance of an abstract for a symposium presentation at the Global Alliance for Mental Health and Sport (GAMeS) conference in November 2025. This marks an important step in sharing the project’s vision with international audiences and building momentum toward a more inclusive and psychologically safe Paralympic sport environment.