Children, young people and families – Research at Cambridge

This blog is part of the Children, young people and families newsletter

The University of Cambridge is a founding member of the NIHR School for Public Health Research. It includes researchers based in the Departments of Psychiatry and the MRC Epidemiology Unit. We have successfully generated research in SPHR since 2012 and have researchers active in all themes for 2022–2027. Early life, childhood and adolescence are key research areas of interest at Cambridge given the role these periods have in shaping health across the life course. Our multidisciplinary researchers have expertise in a wide range of topics, including obesity, dietary public health, physical activity and mental health.

Find out more about some of our current projects:

Evaluating and understanding the impacts of traffic restriction schemes outside schools

Led by Dr Jenna Panter, this project aims to assess the effectiveness of traffic reduction schemes outside schools, how they might work and how their results could be transferred to other settings. This project has co-leads at Cambridge (Esther van Sluijs and David Ogilvie), Exeter (Cornelia Guell) and PHRESH (Sophie Hadfield Hill, Susanne Boerner) as well as co-leads outside of SPHR from Edinburgh Napier University (Adrian Davis). Representatives from local authorities and charities are also project partners. The results will help inform policy makers and practitioners working in education, public health and transport.

This project involves:

• Scoping intervention theories and methods for integrating different types of data
• Scoping sites and data sources for evaluation, iii) quantitative analysis of effectiveness of schemes and
• Qualitative analysis of mechanisms and contextual influences. Researchers Olivia Alliott and Emma Carey are leading qualitative and quantitative parts respectively.

We will select sites across Great Britain where traffic schemes have been put in place to stop motor vehicles driving along road sections outside schools at pick up and drop off times in term time. We will compare these with similarly sized schools in similar geographical contexts where these schemes have not been put in place. We will use data collected by local governments, charities or others to assess the impact of the schemes on levels of walking and cycling to school. In three sites where schemes are in place, we will also ask children, families and teachers what they think about the schemes and how their design can be improved. Find out more about the project.

Promoting healthy behaviours in pre-schoolers through collaboration with policy and practice partners

This project, led by Kathryn Hesketh, is funded through a SPHR impact accelerator award. As a collaboration across three SPHR members (Bristol, Cambridge and Fuse), this project brings together academics, policy and practice partners to co-produce practical materials to support and nurture promotion of positive health behaviours (e.g., physical activity, reduced sedentary behaviour, optimal dietary intake and feeding practices) in preschool-aged children (2–5-year-olds).

Stage 1: Evidence synthesis: we first synthesised systematic review evidence of factors associated with health behaviours in preschool-aged children (SPHR 1, Cambridge-Fuse collaboration), and work exploring care-provider perceptions of feeding practices (SPHR 2, Bristol-Fuse Collaboration).

Stage 2: Co-development workshops: Next, we presented this evidence synthesis at a number of online co-development workshops with key local and national policy and practice stakeholders (i.e. local authority/ government officials; Health Visitors; and Childcare practitioners). Stakeholders outlined their key priorities and resource needs in the area of pre-schooler health promotion.

Stage 3: Co-production of resources. Finally, using stakeholder priorities and needs, we are in the final stages of co-producing promotional materials to encourage positive health behaviours and habit formation in children 0–5 years. Working with a design company, we have generated an infographic, social media stills, videos short and a children’s game. These resources will be available to policy and practice partners, healthcare practitioners, childcare providers and also parents, to support positive health behaviours in under 5s.

Capturing all voices: Developing a framework to shape inclusive participation practices in school-based health research

This project is being led by SPHR-funded PhD student Lauren Cross. Supervision is provided by Esther van Sluijs (Cambridge) and Kristin Liabo (Exteter), with additional support from Tamsin Ford (Cambridge) and G.J. Melendez-Torres (Exeter).

The research aims to explore:

1. Who we’re currently missing from school-based prevention research?
2. What makes participation easier/more challenging?
3. How can we optimise research practice to promote inclusivity?

To answer these questions, we will conduct two systematic reviews and undertake qualitative interviews with researchers and senior school staff.

Public involvement and engagement are central to this project. Find out more about how Lauren’s been working with young people, school staff and a youth leader to shape her research.

Hear from some of the project’s young researchers.

Optimising teachable moments in early parenthood: promoting healthy behaviours in parents and their 0–2-year-olds

This project is being led by SPHR-funded PhD student Helen Little. Supervision is provided by Kathryn Hesketh (Cambridge) and Ruth Kipping (Bristol) and Nicola Heslehurst (Fuse).

The transition to parenthood is an exciting time for a new parent or couple as they experience the joy of having a new child. It is also a significant life event known to negatively impact parents’ health behaviours (e.g., physical activity, diet, sleep). This presents an opportunity for parental health behaviours to be optimised, particularly as parents may feel more motivated to make changes to their health when it also benefits their young children, through ‘teachable moments’. This project aims to determine how to best help new parents (particularly those from more deprived areas) navigate their own changing health-related habits and behaviours.

This project aims to answer the following research questions:

1. What is the current evidence on parents’ experiences and perspectives of behavioural interventions targeting diet and physical activity?
2. How do parents experience change in their diet, physical activity, and sleep behaviours across early parenthood?
3. What support do parents of 0–2-year-olds most require and in what format to optimise their health behaviours?
4. What intervention design (including universal or targeted) might be best to promote healthy behaviours in parents of 0–2-year-olds?

This project will involve four linked research projects including a systematic review and qualitative interviews and focus groups with parents and health visitors. The ultimate goal is for this work to inform an intervention to support positive health behaviours in new parents and the wider family unit.

The contribution of the work environment to physical and mental health of young adults

This project is being led by SPHR-funded PhD student Libby Haynes. Young adults in the UK face rising levels of poor mental health and obesity. Work stress can cause poor health, and in turn poor health leads to poor job performance and retention, often leading to economic inactivity. Conversely, healthy workplace characteristics can improve well-being. However, literature addressing the health and well-being specifically of young adults in the workplace is scarce.

This research will aim to discover which aspects of the work environment, physical or structural, contribute to the physical and mental health of young adults, with a particular focus on diet behaviours and mental well-being.

The role of social relationships in families with mental health conditions

 This project is being led by SPHR-funded PhD student Irena Tetkovic. While some children and young people grow up with a brother or sister with a mental health condition and cope well, others find this difficult. These siblings are at greater risk for mental health conditions themselves. The work aims to better understand what sets apart those siblings who cope well from those with difficulties and understand their experiences. Work includes a systematic review examining the effectiveness of interventions for siblings, as well as quantitative (survey) and qualitive (focus group) data collection with around 1750 siblings.