Children, Young People & Families

Current Policy & Research Agenda 

Through multi-disciplinary working we are committed to recognising the ways in which children and young people are socially, economically and politically situated; both within families and in wider society. 

We critically explore the ways in which policy seeks to address the social exclusion of children and young people. We work to shape local and national policies and practices aimed at socially including children and young people and increase understanding of the experiences of children and young people. 

Our Expertise

Our research and evaluation projects focus on dimensions of social exclusion or disadvantage.

We have particular expertise in:

We also have extensive experience of evaluating current service provision, for example, for young parents, children in care, asylum seekers, domestic violence survivors, ex-offenders and for older people. In many of these areas we have worked in what are considered to be sensitive areas with groups often perceived as ‘hard-to-research’. 

Our Values

In our pursuit of social change, we aim to extend traditional research agendas. 

We operate from a strong set of values which emphasise our concern to undertake research which has a practical impact and makes a difference to the lives of children, young people and families. 

Researchers have an ethical responsibility to consider and take into account the human consequences of their work. We are continuously developing approaches that emphasise participation by the people who are the focus of research or evaluation.  The way in which we engage is as important as what we do.

Throughout research, evaluation and training projects we maintain dialogue with funders to ensure that we understand their expectations. Sharing findings with those who have contributed to the development of research, evaluation and consultation is of importance and we place a particular emphasis on translating findings into outcomes and outputs. 

Previous Projects & Case Studies