Laura joined CRAE in 2015 and became Professor of Autism Research and Education and our Deputy Director until, in 2024, she became the Director of ACER at the University of Birmingham. She remains an Honorary Professor here at CRAE.
Laura’s research focuses on understanding the educational experiences of autistic children and young people (in mainstream and special schools), and identifying evidence-based ways to support pupils, their families and their educators.
Laura also has expertise in the following areas: (1) examining the diagnostic and post-diagnostic experiences of autistic people, their families, and the professionals who work with them; and (2) promoting access to justice for autistic people. Laura’s early work centered on cognition and autism, with a particular focus on autobiographical memory.
Laura has received a number of awards for her work. This includes the UCL Provost’s Prize for Public Engagement (2018), the UK research charity Autistica’s Inaugural Community Engagement Award (2018) and a British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award (2017).
Central to all of Laura’s work is a commitment to the involvement of the autistic and broader autism communities in the research process; ensuring that research has a strong participatory ethos and is of direct and practical relevance to those it affects.
Recent publications
Journal articles
- Richards, N., Pellicano, E., Han, E. K. L., Spiegler, J., & Crane, L. (2026). Transition Out of School for Autistic Young People: An Umbrella Review. Review of Educational Research.
https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543261442123 - Linden, A. H., Norbury, C., McCabe, M., Saul, J., Killick, E., Sam, E., Dufresne, S. R., Elise, F., Gurusamy, K. S., & Crane, L. (2026). Language interventions for autistic people: An online survey of community member views and priorities. JCPP Advances, e70125–e70125.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.70125 - Cooper, K., VanDaalen, R. A., Burnley, A., Allain, L., Beresford, B., Crane, L., Islaam, L., Morales, M. V., Portway, L., Redmayne, B. J. M., Russell, A., & Mandy, W. (2026). Assessing the feasibility of a co-produced peer-group intervention for supporting wellbeing during the transition to adulthood among autistic 16–25-year-olds (ATAG): a randomised controlled feasibility trial. EClinicalMedicine, 94, 103859–103859.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103859 - Eadon, L., Peruzzo, F., & Crane, L. (2026). Active Learning for Autistic Learners: Enabling or Disabling?. Active Learning in Higher Education, 27(2), 241–252.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874261429882 - Boyle, L., Perepa, P., Thalia, K., & Crane, L. (2026). Autism in Viet Nam: A systematic scoping review. Autism, 30(4), 1073–1087.
https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613261425838 - Halsall, J., Robinson, E., Cook, A., Halsall, A., & Crane, L. (2026). Eliciting the views of autistic adolescents attending specialist schools on what friendships mean to them. Autism, 30(3), 812–827.
https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613251414302 - Pender, R., El Baou, C., O’Nions, E., Spector, A. E., Buckman, J. E. J., Richards, M., Pilling, S., John, A., Stott, J. C. H., Saunders, R., Crane, L., & Mandy, W. (2026). Symptom change in depression and anxiety during psychological therapy for autistic adults. Nature Mental Health, 4(2), 279–287.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00567-4 - Hobson, H., Pearson, A., Linden, A. H., Manning, C., Sedgewick, F., Crane, L., & Poole, D. (2026). Open Data in Autism Research: The Views of Autistic People and Parents of Autistic Children. Collabra Psychology, 12(1).
https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.161752 - Brooks, C. K., Smith, N., Bartram, R., Crane, L., & Guldberg, K. (2026). Promising but Fragile: Neurodivergent People's Views on the Use of Strengths and Needs Led Approaches in Education Executive Summary.
https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.16274.41920 - Cresswell, H. & Crane, L. (2025). ‘I think your child might be autistic’: A qualitative survey study examining how school staff broach initial interactions with parents whose children may be autistic. British Journal of Special Education, 53(1), 41–50.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.70067 - Cristescu, L., Crane, L., Kerry, T., & Misca, G. (2025). Autism and military-connected families:A scoping research review. University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham).
- Grace, K., Remington, A., & Crane, L. (2025). “Trapped in a No-Win Situation”: A Qualitative Exploration of Autistic Adults’ Experiences of Loneliness. Autism in Adulthood.
https://doi.org/10.1177/25739581251382389 - Scheeren, A. M., Nieuwenhuis, S., Crane, L., Roke, Y., & Begeer, S. (2025). Masking, social context and perceived stress in autistic adults: An ecological momentary assessment study. Autism, 29(12), 3002–3013.
https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613251353358
Book chapters
- Al-Jayoosi, H. & Crane, L. (2025). Understanding and Meeting the Sensory Needs of Neurodivergent Learners. Routledge eBooks, 35–51.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003493044-4
Preprints
- Han, E. K. L., Crane, L., & Woodcock, K. A. (2026). Formative mixed-methods evaluation of a co-designed digital guide to support autism disclosure decision-making. Research Square.
https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-11086865/v1 - Manning, C., Fletcher‐Watson, S., Poole, D., Hobson, H., Linden, A. H., Pearson, A., Sedgewick, F., & Crane, L. (2026). The views of the autism community on research data sharing practices. OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints).
- Deal, A., Magiati, I., Tan, D., Crane, L., Edwards, C., Adams, D., Arnold, S. R. C., Han, E. K. L., Hearst, C., Price, J., Heyworth, M., Johnston, A., & Mandy, W. (2026). Exploring and Navigating Autistic Identity in Adolescence: A Scoping Review and Environmental Scan of Experiences and Support Resources.
https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/52qhf - Crane, L., Wagstaff, C., & Marvell, A. (2025). Working towards consensus in the field of Gestalt Language Processing; a Delphi study. OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints).
- Bagnall, R., Crane, L., Mattison, M. L. A., & Maras, K. (2025). Examining cross-examination with autistic mock-witnesses.
https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/2ugzq
Other outputs
- Robinson, E., Lovesey, D., Richards, N., Richards, C., & Crane, L. (2026). The conceptualisation, implementation and evaluation of Performing Arts Based Approaches with Autistic people: a scoping review. Open Science Framework.
https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/56ser