PhD Studentship: Using routine council data to evaluate the enhanced parenting pathway

Project Title: Using routine council data to evaluate the enhanced parenting pathway

An opportunity to apply for a funded full-time PhD in the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, UWE Bristol.  The studentship will be funded by Somerset County Council.

Ref 2223-JAN-HAS14

The expected start date of this studentship is 03 January 2023

The closing date for applications is 09 September 2022. 

About the Studentship

This studentship is an exciting new collaboration between Somerset County Council and  the Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing at UWE, Bristol. The project will explore the potential of routine data sets held by the council to enable long-term evaluations of interventions at the population level, using the new enhanced parenting pathway as a case study. Over the course of the 3-year studentship, the student will carry out an initial evaluation of the pathway, and set up the data systems for longer term follow up of a wide range of relevant outcomes using data held by the Council and other partners.

Expected steps to achieving this aim include:

• Reviewing the standard methods of evaluating such a service
• Identifying relevant outcomes (short, medium and long term)
• Scoping relevant data sets (internal and external to the council) to measure these outcomes
• Identifying barriers to using these data sets (e.g. consent, data sharing, data quality, data matching)
• Overcoming these barriers, where possible within the PhD timescales, and making recommendations regarding outstanding barriers to help Somerset Council become a ‘research-ready’ council
• Using available data for a short-term evaluation of the pathway, with a particular focus on inequalities with respect to both Covid and rural deprivation

For an informal discussion about the studentship, please email Dr Issy Bray (issy.bray@uwe.ac.uk, 0117 3288923)

Funding details

The studentship is available from 03 January 2023 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax exempt stipend, which is currently £16,602 per annum. 

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years (Home).

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must have:

• an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Public Health, Data Science)
• experience of handling large data sets and data governance

and ideally will have:

• MSc/MRes in a relevant subject
• experience of working in a local authority
• quantitative evaluation skills
• knowledge of services for vulnerable young people and their families

The studentship is eligible for UK applicants only.

How to apply

Please submit your application online. When prompted use the reference number 2223-JAN-HAS14.

Supporting documentation: you will need to upload your research proposal, all your degree certificates and transcripts and a recognised English language qualification is required.

References: you will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application.

Closing date

The closing date for applications is 09 September 2022.

Further Information

The student will work across UWE (Frenchay Campus) and Somerset County Council (based in Taunton), with a degree of flexibility for remote working. The student will be part of the Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing at UWE, and the Director of Studies will be Dr Issy Bray.

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