1. The Developmental Psychology Section is delighted to announce a new award to recognise distinguished contributions to British Developmental Psychology.

This award will be presented to a candidate who has made substantial contributions to research in Developmental Psychology or through Developmental Psychology to wider society. The latter may be in the realms of higher education teaching, changing government policy, communication of science to the general public or implementation of interventions. A substantial proportion of time should have been spent working in the UK.

Criteria

• Candidates should be nominated by an academic or professional peer
• The letter of nomination should evidence the substantial contributions made by the nominee
• The nomination should be support by the nominee’s C.V. and a letter from an additional referee

How to apply

Deadline for nominations is 15 December 2019

The award winner

• Can have up to £100 towards travel expenses
• Receive a full conference attendance at early bird rate inc. 2 nights accommodation
• Receive the Distinguished Contributions Award Certificate
• Will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual conference of the Developmental Section.

Awarded Annually for Outstanding Contributions to Developmental Psychology

This annual award is for outstanding early career contributions to the field of developmental psychology.

The winning candidate will have made an outstanding contribution within any field of developmental psychology; this will be evident in some or all of theory development, originality and innovation in methodology, along with other indicators of esteem.

Eligibility criteria

• Applicants from previous years are eligible to re-apply, and are encouraged to do this.
• Candidates are eligible for consideration up to and including 10 years following the award of a PhD.
• Candidates need not be a member of the BPS but they must be resident in the United Kingdom.

How to apply

• Applicants can either nominate themselves or they can be nominated by a colleague. Heads of Department and senior faculty members are particularly encouraged to nominate eligible colleagues.
• Nominations should include a one-page statement outlining the candidate's contribution to developmental psychology plus a full CV. 
• Nominations deadline is 15 December 2019

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions.

The award winner

• Receive the Margaret Donaldson Early Career Prize Certificate
• Receive a full conference attendance at early bird rate inc. 2 nights accommodation
• Will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual conference of the Developmental Section
• Up to £100 towards travel expenses

This annual award is for a piece of published research on cognitive disorders that appear in development and persist throughout life. 

Neil O'Connor was one of the UK's foremost experimental psychologists, and a pioneer in applying experimental methods to the study of developmental disabilities. Friends, relatives and former colleagues have contributed to a trust fund that allows this award to be made annually.

Eligibility criteria

• Disorders may be of a perceptual, cognitive, social or emotional nature and can include (but are not confined to) deafness, blindness, learning disabilities, dyslexia, language disorder, aphasia, Williams syndrome, Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, autism, ADHD.
• The candidate must be either the sole or main author of the article concerned. In the case of multiple authors, the relative contribution of different authors must be outlined. The prize and the invitation to speak will be offered to the main author.
• The candidate should be studying for a PhD or not more than 10 years post-PhD.
• The publication must be accepted into a peer-refereed journal bearing the date 2018 or later (including articles in press).
• There is no geographic restriction, but submissions must be in English.

How to apply

• Applicants can either nominate themselves or they can be nominated by a colleague. Heads of Department and senior faculty members are particularly encouraged to nominate eligible colleagues.
• Nominations should include a copy of the publication and a copy of the applicant’s CV. 
• Nominations deadline is 15 December 2019

Judging process

The Section Committee will appoint an award sub-committee to adjudicate submissions.

The award winner

• Receive a full conference attendance at early bird rate inc. 2 nights accommodation
• Receive the Neil O'Connor Award Certificate
• The winner of the award will be invited to deliver a keynote address at the annual Developmental Section Annual Conference
• Up to £100 towards travel expenses

Financial Assistance is available for current postgraduate students who are members of the Developmental Section and presenting at the Section’s Annual Conference in Stoke-on-Trent from the 4th- 6th September 2019.The maximum value of awards is £400 per applicant. Awards could contribute towards registration, accommodation, or travel to the conference. You can apply for a bursary following successful submission of an abstract for the conference.Applications are welcome until the closing date of 23rd June 2019. Applications will be assessed by a sub-committee of the BPS Developmental Committee. Applications that make a strong case for need and the benefits of attendance will be funded, subject to the funds available. Decisions will be made and communicated by the 1st July 2019.

Eligibility 

The award is open to postgraduates registered for research degrees at any UK or Republic of Ireland institution.  Applicants must be members of the BPS Developmental Psychology Section.Applicants must have an abstract accepted for the Cognitive Psychology Section and Developmental Psychology Section Joint Conference 2019

Application Process - Applicants will be required to provide:

• Name

• Organisation/affiliation

• BPS membership number

• Confirmation that they are a member of the Developmental Section

• A statement of not more than 150 words providing a brief explanation of why a bursary is needed (e.g., because a postgraduate student is not funded by a research council or their institution), why the applicant should be awarded a bursary, and how she or he will benefit from attending the conference       

• A copy of the abstract submitted to the conference

• Details of any funding required (accommodation/registration/travel/etc), including cost breakdown

Further conditions

• Late applications will not be accepted and only the first 150 words of any statements that exceed the word limits will be considered. You will be required to submit receipts as evidence of your expenses to claim the award within one month of the conference (by the 6th October, 2019). You may submit receipts in advance of the conference with proof of purchase. Note, if you are unable to subsequently attend the conference, you must reimburse the BPS Developmental Section for any claims made. In order to be eligible, it is expected that applicants will pay early bird registration fees. All recipients of the award will be expected to write a piece for Developmental Forum. This could be a review of the conference or a piece on a topic relating to the applicant’s research. You will be given some direction for this and support from one of our editors. Decisions will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding unsuccessful applications.

• Apply for a student postgraduate bursary

Distinguished Contribution Award

Margaret Donaldson Early Career Prize

The Neil O'Connor Award

The BPS Developmental Section Committee would like to support the development of research links between UK developmental psychologists and colleagues from other countries.

The Committee has made a strategic decision to allocate a proportion of Section funds, each year, to support an International Collaborations Scheme to stimulate this contact and enhance the possibility of longer-term, international, collaborative links for researchers working in developmental psychology. This scheme is open to applicants at all career levels from PhD researchers through to emeritus.

The overall amount of money available for the scheme will be decided by the Committee after considering available resources and the merits of the applications received.

There is no cap on the overall amount requested in an application, but the Committee estimates that most applications will be in the region of £1,000-£1,500 and that visits will last a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of four weeks. Costs should be realistic and represent value for money.

Criteria

• Applicants must be full members of the British Psychological Society Developmental Section.
• Funds will be paid directly to the applicant.
• It is expected that the applicant will present work arising from the collaboration at the Section conference and it is required that a written report of the visit is submitted for publication in the Section’s newsletter.

The scheme is not intended to support multiple research visits or longer-term leave periods, but instead to allow an applicant to spend a period of time developing research with colleagues overseas. The scheme is also not intended to support visits that have already been undertaken or any costs associated with conference attendance.

The host institution must be located outside of the United Kingdom and is most likely a University or Research Institute. However, the Committee will consider other types of host institution for other types of proposal such as the development of interventions and applications arising from research, providing that the scientific merits are clear and the proposed outputs constitute high quality scientific research with potential social and academic impact.

Applicants should be clear that they intend to work with collaborators in the host institution in pursuit of joint (collaborative) high quality and scientific research goals in developmental psychology. A report will be required once the visit is completed.

Costs: What is supported?

The finances are intended to support the travel and accommodation costs for the applicant overseas. Ordinarily, subsistence costs will not be met. Funds will not support the purchase of equipment or costs for casual research assistance and other support.

Any requests for funds that are not for supporting travel or accommodation costs will require further justification.

The Committee welcomes proposals for matched funding from other sources. However, it is important to remember that a key criterion for evaluating proposals is that they will stimulate or make possible new activity rather than extend existing or established collaborative links.

Please note in order for payment to be made receipts for travel and accomodation must be submitted to the BPS no later than 1 month after the trip has been completed. For queries regarding payment of the Award please contact the Developmental Section Secretary, Dr Sarah Rose

Guidance for nominations

You will need the following information:

• A fully completed application form
• A letter of support (e.g., from the applicant’s Head of Department or another referee) confirming the support for the proposed research visit (and confirming any details relating to proposed matched funding). 
• A letter of support from the intended host institution (i.e., overseas) indicating willingness to host the applicant and provide necessary resources to allow the proposed research to be completed (and, if relevant, any details relating to matched funding). 

Please note that:

1. The decision of the Committee will be made according to the criteria and is final. The Committee is not able to offer individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.
2. Unsuccessful applicants may apply again to the scheme but should not re-submit a previous application (a revised version or a new proposal is required).
3. Visits should be completed within one year of the date of application.

How to apply

Applications have now closed for 2018.

Applications should be sent to [email protected]

Judging process

• Are supporting statements from a referee and the proposed host institution included?
• Are the proposed costs realistic?
• Are there concrete and realistic intended outputs?
• Does the proposal represent good value for money? Is there matched or funding from another source?
• Is the applicant is a member of the BPS Developmental Section and a full member of the BPS?
• Is the application form, including financial information, completed?
• Is the host institution a research or research-related institution located outside of UK?
• Is the research proposal in the area of developmental psychology, innovative, and of a high scientific quality?
• Is there evidence that any collaboration links will endure beyond the planned research visit supported by this scheme?
• Will the proposed collaboration allow the applicant to form a collaborative research relationship that will enhance their career or body of work?
• Will the proposal stimulate new activity (a new link) rather than enhance an existing link or form part of a series of research visits that are already planned?

The Developmental Section is offering a new funding scheme to support workshops in developmental psychology.

Grants of up to £3,500 are available to section members to enable them to hold a one or two day research seminar.

Awards may be used to contribute towards travel and accommodation costs of workshop participants and other associated expenses.

Workshops can cover any area of developmental psychology. Workshops should be open to all Developmental Section members and postgraduates.

If funding if requested for a closed event, a statement on how others could be included (e.g. recorded talks, open discussion group/blog, newsletter summary) is required.

The committee will also favour workshops which are within the UK as they are likely to be more accessible to Section members and postgraduates.  Workshops can be held as pre-conference events for the Annual Developmental Section conference.

It is expected that successful applicants will submit a brief article about the workshop to the Developmental Forum. The Section’s support should be acknowledged on any printed material arising from the workshop.   

Criteria

• Applicants must be members of the Developmental Section and must be full members of the BPS.
• Applications must be submitted at least three months before the planned workshop date. Applications after this time will not be considered.

Please note that:

1. The decision of the Committee is final. The Committee is not able to offer individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.
2. Unsuccessful applicants may apply again to the scheme but should not re-submit a previous application (a revised version or a new proposal is required).
3. Workshops should be held within one year of the date of application.

How to apply

Applications have now closed for 2018.

Applications should be sent to [email protected]

Enabling Research Grant Scheme