Title: Children and Families Policy Research Unit (CPRU)
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Overview: We aim to establish the CPRU as a centre of excellence that will drive evidence-based policy to improve the health of children and families. We aim to undertake high-quality research that is responsive to DHSC needs and able to adapt to changing policy needs and priorities. The research programme will build on our experience of leading the CPRU over the past 7 years (www.ucl.ac.uk/cpru). Our new programme strengthens and broadens the collective expertise of our investigators and collaborators to ensure coverage of the full range of topics relevant to child and family health policy. We will also ensure rigour and relevance of research by strengthening and integrating expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, health economics, and public involvement throughout the programme. Tackling health inequalities, diversity and mental health, taking a family perspective, and considering value for money, will be at the core of our work. Our research will benefit policy makers, service providers, children and families. Wider societal benefits will stem from our focus on the economic consequences of early interventions, reducing health inequalities, and improving outcomes for children and families, especially vulnerable groups. The CPRU team: The team includes internationally recognised investigators whose work has advanced policy and practice over the last decade. For example, in mental health, the team includes leading researchers in child mental health (Wolpert) and early parent&ndash;child interactions (Barlow), domestic violence and family health (Feder), and in mental health interventions for disadvantaged groups (Scott, Simonoff, KCL) and for children with complex conditions and their families (Shafran, UCL/GOSH). To address health needs of vulnerable groups, the team includes researchers advocating a public health approach to child maltreatment (Gilbert, Woodman, Morris, Barlow), implementing improved service responses to domestic violence (Feder), and researching the experiences of looked-after children and those subject to child protection (Gilbert, Woodman, Hodes). Our work on health inequalities points to policy interventions that could reduce child mortality (Hardelid, Gilbert), improve outcomes of long-term conditions (Stephenson, Hardelid), reduce risky behaviour and adverse outcomes for adolescents (Viner, Wolpert, Gilbert), and support families affected by childhood disability (Morris) or disadvantage (Cattan). We will strengthen expertise in qualitative methods (Barlow, Woodman) and in economic and statistical methods (Morris, Hardelid, Cattan), including data scientist support. The CPRU team shares experience in influencing policy from the perspectives of professional bodies (Stephenson, Viner, Barlow), public health (Law, Gilbert, Barlow, Feder), national guidance authorities (Law, Barlow, Wolpert, Feder, Gilbert, Viner, Woodman, Cattan, Morris), and patients and public (Stephenson, Walker, van t Hoff). Investigators have ongoing involvement and collaborations with arms length bodies - ALBs and other stakeholders (e.g. General Medical Council, Royal Colleges, Public Health England - PHE, Department for Education - DfE, the Children s Commissioner for England and family justice and social care). Research programme The research programme consists of three research themes supported by three cross-cutting resources. The three research themes align with policy strategies involving primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of adverse health outcomes. The three cross-cutting resources will provide economics, statistical and administrative data expertise, support public involvement, and ensure flexible and timely research in response to DHSC requests. Research themes Theme 1: Early interventions for children and families across the life course. This theme involves primary prevention of adverse child and family outcomes through universal and targeted programmes to reduce health inequalities, improve health and wellbeing, and prevent adversity across the child and family life course (lead, Barlow; deputy, Wolpert). Theme 2: Responding to vulnerable children and families. This theme addresses secondary prevention through healthcare responses to children and parents presenting to health services, including primary, secondary and mental health care. The theme also addresses inter-relationships between healthcare, education and children s social care and other agencies (lead, Gilbert; deputy, Feder). Theme 3: Long-term conditions and disability. This theme will address tertiary prevention, using a social model to reduce adverse outcomes for children and families affected by multi-morbidity and child disability. The theme will include services for learning disability and autism, and will address parity of physical and mental health services and transitions across services (lead, Stephenson; deputy, Hardelid). Cross-cutting resources Resource 1: The Health Economics Analysis and Data resource (HEAD) will provide economic expertise and quantitative methods, including support for using administrative and cohort data resources (e.g. hospital, primary care, education and social care for England). Use of these data resources will ensure timely and rigorous responses to DHSC requests. Outputs will include new methods, data sets, economic models and algorithms to support policy evaluation, low-cost intervention studies, and monitoring of services (lead, Morris; deputies, Cattan &ndash; economics, Hardelid &ndash; statistics/health data). Resource 2. The children, young people, parent and public involvement (CYPPPI) resource will be integrated across the entire research programme and will provide input into all stages of projects, from early phase question development through to project design and dissemination of findings. We will involve multiple groups and individuals and reach out to involve children, young people and parents across England, including seldom-heard voices (lead, Stephenson; coordinator, Walker; collaborator, van t Hoff). Resource 3: The responsive facility will meet regularly with DHSC colleagues to identify policy research needs, including using horizon scanning. The facility will develop researchable questions, conduct rapid scoping or systematic reviews or data analyses, and develop and commission projects. To ensure capacity to respond flexibly to DHSC requirements, we will draw on our team of investigators and collaborators across the four participating institutions to provide capacity in quantitative (UCL, IFS, Bristol) and qualitative methods (UCL Thomas Coram Research Unit, Bristol and Oxford Social Science and Rees Centre). The responsive facility will deal with all policy questions relating to child and family health, not just those within the three research themes (lead, Gilbert; coordinator, Woodman).

Lay abstract: Overview: We aim to establish the CPRU as a centre of excellence that will drive evidence-based policy to improve the health of children and families. We aim to undertake high-quality research that is responsive to DHSC needs and able to adapt to changing policy needs and priorities. The research programme will build on our experience of leading the CPRU over the past 7 years (www.ucl.ac.uk/cpru). Our new programme strengthens and broadens the collective expertise of our investigators and collaborators to ensure coverage of the full range of topics relevant to child and family health policy. We will also ensure rigour and relevance of research by strengthening and integrating expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, health economics, and public involvement throughout the programme. Tackling health inequalities, diversity and mental health, taking a family perspective, and considering value for money, will be at the core of our work. Our research will benefit policy makers, service providers, children and families. Wider societal benefits will stem from our focus on the economic consequences of early interventions, reducing health inequalities, and improving outcomes for children and families, especially vulnerable groups. The CPRU team: The team includes internationally recognised investigators whose work has advanced policy and practice over the last decade. For example, in mental health, the team includes leading researchers in child mental health (Wolpert) and early parent&ndash;child interactions (Barlow), domestic violence and family health (Feder), and in mental health interventions for disadvantaged groups (Scott, Simonoff, KCL) and for children with complex conditions and their families (Shafran, UCL/GOSH). To address health needs of vulnerable groups, the team includes researchers advocating a public health approach to child maltreatment (Gilbert, Woodman, Morris, Barlow), implementing improved service responses to domestic violence (Feder), and researching the experiences of looked-after children and those subject to child protection (Gilbert, Woodman, Hodes). Our work on health inequalities points to policy interventions that could reduce child mortality (Hardelid, Gilbert), improve outcomes of long-term conditions (Stephenson, Hardelid), reduce risky behaviour and adverse outcomes for adolescents (Viner, Wolpert, Gilbert), and support families affected by childhood disability (Morris) or disadvantage (Cattan). We will strengthen expertise in qualitative methods (Barlow, Woodman) and in economic and statistical methods (Morris, Hardelid, Cattan), including data scientist support. The CPRU team shares experience in influencing policy from the perspectives of professional bodies (Stephenson, Viner, Barlow), public health (Law, Gilbert, Barlow, Feder), national guidance authorities (Law, Barlow, Wolpert, Feder, Gilbert, Viner, Woodman, Cattan, Morris), and patients and public (Stephenson, Walker, van t Hoff). Investigators have ongoing involvement and collaborations with arms length bodies - ALBs and other stakeholders (e.g. General Medical Council, Royal Colleges, Public Health England - PHE, Department for Education - DfE, the Children s Commissioner for England and family justice and social care). Research programme The research programme consists of three research themes supported by three cross-cutting resources. The three research themes align with policy strategies involving primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of adverse health outcomes. The three cross-cutting resources will provide economics, statistical and administrative data expertise, support public involvement, and ensure flexible and timely research in response to DHSC requests. Research themes Theme 1: Early interventions for children and families across the life course. This theme involves primary prevention of adverse child and family outcomes through universal and targeted programmes to reduce health inequalities, improve health and wellbeing, and prevent adversity across the child and family life course (lead, Barlow; deputy, Wolpert). Theme 2: Responding to vulnerable children and families. This theme addresses secondary prevention through healthcare responses to children and parents presenting to health services, including primary, secondary and mental health care. The theme also addresses inter-relationships between healthcare, education and children s social care and other agencies (lead, Gilbert; deputy, Feder). Theme 3: Long-term conditions and disability. This theme will address tertiary prevention, using a social model to reduce adverse outcomes for children and families affected by multi-morbidity and child disability. The theme will include services for learning disability and autism, and will address parity of physical and mental health services and transitions across services (lead, Stephenson; deputy, Hardelid). Cross-cutting resources Resource 1: The Health Economics Analysis and Data resource (HEAD) will provide economic expertise and quantitative methods, including support for using administrative and cohort data resources (e.g. hospital, primary care, education and social care for England). Use of these data resources will ensure timely and rigorous responses to DHSC requests. Outputs will include new methods, data sets, economic models and algorithms to support policy evaluation, low-cost intervention studies, and monitoring of services (lead, Morris; deputies, Cattan &ndash; economics, Hardelid &ndash; statistics/health data). Resource 2. The children, young people, parent and public involvement (CYPPPI) resource will be integrated across the entire research programme and will provide input into all stages of projects, from early phase question development through to project design and dissemination of findings. We will involve multiple groups and individuals and reach out to involve children, young people and parents across England, including seldom-heard voices (lead, Stephenson; coordinator, Walker; collaborator, van t Hoff). Resource 3: The responsive facility will meet regularly with DHSC colleagues to identify policy research needs, including using horizon scanning. The facility will develop researchable questions, conduct rapid scoping or systematic reviews or data analyses, and develop and commission projects. To ensure capacity to respond flexibly to DHSC requirements, we will draw on our team of investigators and collaborators across the four participating institutions to provide capacity in quantitative (UCL, IFS, Bristol) and qualitative methods (UCL Thomas Coram Research Unit, Bristol and Oxford Social Science and Rees Centre). The responsive facility will deal with all policy questions relating to child and family health, not just those within the three research themes (lead, Gilbert; coordinator, Woodman).

Research activity codes: 8.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE;INFECTION;MENTAL HEALTH