Rachelle Wicks
Research Fellow
Dr Rachelle Wicks is a neurodivergent (Autistic/ADHD) Research Fellow within CliniKids.
Rachelle has a background in psychology and early childhood education and completed her doctoral research on the relationships between visual attention during shared book reading and early literacy for Autistic preschoolers at Griffith University.
Since completing her PhD in 2022, she has contributed to and led several large-scale Autism CRC projects to develop and implement two National Guidelines and the National Framework for assessing children's functional strengths and support needs, of which she is leading the implementation.
Dr Wicks has a passion for participatory research that is inclusive of all Autistic people and their families/supporters, including those who experience multiple and profound disability. She is particularly interested in research that is genuinely co-produced with members of the Autistic and autism communities and aims to benefit the wellbeing of Autistic people across the lifespan.
Dr Wicks also advocates for increased understanding and awareness of autism and other forms of neurodivergence, and embedding a neuro-affirming, individualised, and strengths-based approach into research, clinical practice, and within the broader community.