Tackling child poverty locally: what are the benefits for family health and wellbeing and how can local actions be improved?

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Growing up in poverty can profoundly affect children’s health and wellbeing. In Scotland, a range of actions are being taken to reduce child poverty and mitigate against its consequences for health and life chances. This PhD project aims to improve our understanding of local actions to reduce child poverty, the lived realities of families in Glasgow, and the challenges and opportunities to support family health in the current policy context. The project will run parallel to a wider programme of research looking at the health impacts of national child poverty policies at the University of Glasgow and work being carried out by the NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration based at Glasgow City Council

This 3-year PhD studentship project will involve using qualitative and/or mixed methods approaches to better understand the perspectives and experiences of families in Glasgow and their views on poverty reduction schemes that are available in their local area. There is flexibility to tailor the focus of the project, based on the candidate’s interests and the views they gather from local stakeholders and citizens. For example, the project could focus on particular types of poverty reduction schemes (e.g. income maximisation or employability), certain population groups (e.g. lone parents or large families), or particular neighbourhoods within Glasgow. Methods may include stakeholder workshops, descriptive analysis and/or synthesis of local and national child poverty data, qualitative interviews with families who experience child poverty, or local action research to produce suggestions for change.

The successful candidate will have a training budget and opportunities to attend and present at conferences and publish journal papers. They will be based within the School of Health and Wellbeing, at the University of Glasgow and benefit from links to the NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration and Glasgow City Council’s child poverty programme.

The successful candidate will have a 2:1 / Upper Class undergraduate degree and a Masters degree in a relevant subject area (e.g. Public Health, Sociology, Psychology, Social Research Methods, Social Policy, Demography) and experience of carrying out an independent research project (during their academic studies).

Interviews will be held in May.  

Please include in your application:

•                         CV/Resume

•                         Passport – full page, colour scan

•                         Personal statement (This should provide any other required information in support of the application, such as evidence of previous academic or professional experience that qualifies you for the programme (projects; placements; voluntary work etc). You should state the reasons why you selected this project and what benefit you hope to achieve through successful completion of the PhD. The statement should include any research projects in which you have been involved. The statement should not be longer than one A4 page).

•                         Two A4 page research proposal (You are strongly encouraged to discuss this with Dr Anna Pearce anna.pearce@glasgow.ac.uk and/or Dr Gillian Fergie gillian.fergie@glasgow.ac.uk prior to submission).

•                         Reference 1 (should be from an academic who has a knowledge of your academic ability from your most recent study/programme). This needs to be on letter headed paper and dated

•                         Reference 2 (should be from an academic who has a knowledge of your academic ability). This needs to be on letter headed paper and dated

•                         Transcripts and certificates for undergraduate and Masters’ degrees. Entry requirements are a 2:1 / Upper Class undergraduate degree, and a Masters degree in a relevant subject area (see project description).

Application Closing Date: 30th April 2025

Programme Start Date: September 2025