Research

Clergy Support Trust is committed to the wellbeing of Anglican clergy and their families. In addition to supporting clergy wellbeing through grants and services, we also look preventatively at ways of dealing with issues before they arise.

We promote research which examines and addresses the underlying issues which affect clergy wellbeing and that of their households. We have previously commissioned and funded research into the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent clergy, as well as the wellbeing of UKME/GMH clergy. You can find copies of these findings on our website, which will continue to inform how we support clergy in line with our current strategy.

Current Research Projects

Experiences of Clergy Children: in partnership with the University of Chester

Clergy children aged 7-11

Help us develop understandings of clergy children’s experiences. This research is being conducted by the University of Chester funded by Clergy Support Trust. If you are a parent or guardian of a child aged 7-11 who is or was a Church of England clergy child in the last two years, and who would consider being involved in a creative research study, please email L.lovett@chester.ac.uk, and we can send information about the study for you and your child. This research is being led by Prof Lisa Oakley l.oakley@chester.ac.uk

Clergy children aged 12-17

Help us develop understandings of clergy children's experiences. This research is being conducted by the University of Chester funded by Clergy Support Trust. If you are a parent or guardian of a child aged 12-17, who is or was a Church of England clergy child in the last two years, who would consider being involved in a creative research study, please email L.lovett@chester.ac.uk, and we can send information about the study for you and your child. This research is being led by Prof Lisa Oakley l.oakley@chester.ac.uk

Clergy children aged 18-25

Help us develop understandings of clergy children’s experiences. This research is being conducted by the University of Chester funded by the Clergy Support Trust. If you are aged 18-25 and were a clergy child in the UK, under the age of 18 and might be willing to answer questions related to your experiences, please click on this link. The link will take you to information about the research and how the results will be used, and then to the study.

Research funded by the Trust

What barriers do disabled and neurodivergent clergy face?

"Their wellbeing is at significant risk, because of the inherited assumptions and processes in the Church of England."

Independent research published on UKME/GMH clergy wellbeing

Independent research into the wellbeing of UKME/Global Majority Heritage clergy commissioned as part of a 10-year programme into how clergy can flourish in ministry published.