Christine Towers, Research and Service Development Manager

Christine has worked at the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities since 2005, where her role involves managing and delivering research projects, development projects and consultancy contracts.

Christine’s particular areas of interest include planning with families, improving the quality of support (including quality checking with experts by experience), supporting people with learning disabilities as they grow older, people with learning disabilities with caring roles and the development of social and community networks.

Her research interests include the experiences of fathers of children with learning disabilities (Recognising Fathers) and planning for the future with families (Thinking Ahead). Prior to working at the Foundation, she worked on national research projects on direct payments and the impact of person-centred planning.

Over the past 30 years, Christine has worked in a variety of roles developing opportunities for people with learning disabilities and their families in health services, social services and the third sector. She has an interest in partnership working across sectors and has project managed the integration of learning disability services across health and social care in a local authority.

Her development work has included housing and support, family support services, daytime opportunities for people with complex needs and user involvement. She has managed services for people with learning disabilities in an inner-London local authority and has also worked for a number of years managing mental health services and undertaking development work for a mental health charity.

Christine also leads on training related to the Thinking Ahead project, which aims to help people with learning disabilities and their families to plan for the future.

Download a flyer for more information on Thinking Ahead training.

Christine represents the Foundation on the National Valuing Families Forum.

Christine has an MA in Social Policy (Goldsmiths, University of London), a BA in English Studies (University of East Anglia), and a Diploma in Management Studies (University of Greenwich).