PhD Scholarship: The Scale and Effectiveness of Parenting Interventions Delivered in Children’s Social Care in the UK
[Bursary available: £20,780 (FT) plus £2,000 London Weighting (where applicable) or pro-rata (PT) in Year 1; Years 2 and 3 in line with UKRI rate. Tuition fee contribution equivalent to the university’s Home-student rate (£5,006 or pro-rata PT) for the duration of the scholarship. International applicants must pay the remainder of the tuition fee. Funding subject to annual review and satisfactory performance.] This PhD scholarship at the University of Greenwich, co-funded by Foundations (the National What Works Centre for Children and Families), focuses on evaluating the scale and effectiveness of parenting interventions delivered within children’s social care in the UK. The project addresses a critical gap in research concerning children and young people (CYP) on Child in Need (CiN) plans or Child Protection (CP) orders—groups recognized as among the most vulnerable in the country. These children and their families often face high levels of need and are at significant risk for out-of-home placements, which carry substantial social and economic costs. Despite the increasing use of evidence-based parenting interventions in early help and broader children’s services, there is limited understanding of their availability and effectiveness for families under CiN or CP plans, especially where parenting risks or domestic violence have been identified. The successful candidate will undertake a comprehensive research program, likely involving systematic reviews, secondary analysis of social care data, and collaboration with organizations delivering parenting interventions to access and analyze their data. The project will also include qualitative research, such as interviews with key stakeholders in children’s services and social care, to understand the experiences of families and barriers to effective evaluation. The scholarship provides a bursary of £20,780 per year (full-time) plus £2,000 London Weighting (where applicable) in the first year, with subsequent years funded in line with UKRI rates. Additionally, a tuition fee contribution equivalent to the Home-student rate (£5,006 per year) is included for the duration of the scholarship; international students are required to pay the difference. The funding is subject to satisfactory progress and annual review. Applicants should hold at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant field (such as psychology, sociology, or social work), with a master’s degree and experience in systematic reviews, data analysis, or working with vulnerable families considered advantageous. English language requirements apply for international candidates. For further information or informal discussion, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Sajid Humayun or Prof Claire Monks. Full details, including the person specification, are available via the provided link. The application deadline is 7 November 2025.
