Helen Marwick 1956-2021

Helen Marwick was a child developmental psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde who died age 65 in October 2021. She created "Play Boxes", a play-based intervention to support intersubjectivity between children and their carers. Widowed aged 37 with five young children, she demonstrated an optimistic tenacity in the face of adversity throughout her life.

Helen was born and raised around Glasgow. She studied psychology at the University of Edinburgh and completed a PhD investigating mother and infant vocal interactions, submitting shortly after the birth of her third child. During her research, she listened in minute detail to recordings of mothers and babies communicating and created a trailblazing category system to describe their intonation patterns. Around this time, she developed a lifelong fascination with intersubjectivity while working alongside Colwyn Trevarthen, whose research had inspired her to pursue child development.

Helen tutored part-time for the Open University while raising her family. She then returned to work full-time as a Lecturer in the University of Strathclyde's School of Education where she remained for the next 20 years, becoming a co-director of the innovative National Institute for Autism Studies, a Senior Lecturer, and then Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She was also a trusted member of the University's Ethics Committee for several years.

In 2002, Helen co-authored a report for the Scottish Government on how best to meet the developmental needs of children aged 0-3. She also used her expertise in child development to develop a play-based intervention for children with difficulties with social interaction such as autism called Play Boxes, or the "Joint-Play Intersubjectivity Assessment Method". Play Boxes provides the child and play partner with toys which match, facilitating joint attention and play. This approach has helped improve the communication and social engagement of hundreds of children across Scotland and beyond. One occupational therapist said that this is the aspect of her work which she derives the most satisfaction from, due in part to Helen's insistence that for it to work both the adult and child need to be having fun.

Helen enjoyed collaborating and was a co-founder of a six-year, multi-site international study across six countries – Scotland, Finland, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and America – which explored social and emotional aspects of early years transitions. This network has recently published a book, which Helen co-authored, describing their work.

Helen also contributed greatly to teaching, creating and leading numerous modules in child developmental psychology. She was a supervisor and mentor to scores of students and colleagues who benefited from the deeply supportive and caring relationship Helen would build with them. Helen's dedication led to her marking dissertations up until four weeks before her death from metastatic cancer. A senior colleague summarised that "Helen will be remembered by colleagues for her kindness, nurturing nature, humour, courage and bright, bright mind."

Her children will remember her for the love she nurtured us with from infancy and beyond.

• Katie Marwick and Matthew Marwick