Through the course of the first ten years of DECIPHer, the centre developed comprehensive expertise and an excellent track record in research regarding the impact of family structures and relationships on children and young people’s health and well-being. Examples of studies included: feasibility and outcome evaluations of family substance misuse prevention programmes; qualitative studies exploring foster and residential carers’ experiences of managing young people’s self-harm and suicide; and the development of interventions to connect schools and families. DECIPHer also provided methodological expertise to the What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care (2018-2020).
Consolidating this collective expertise and experience, DECIPHer has established a research programme ‘Healthy Social Relationships’. The programme is led by Doctor Rhiannon Evans and Doctor Jeremy Segrott. It draws upon significant infrastructure funding. This includes: the TRIUMPH (Transdisciplinary Research for the Improvement of Youth Mental Public Health) Network (Dr Evans co-leads the theme on care experienced children and young people); GW4 funded activity to support the development of parent-level interventions to improve children and young people’s health; and the School Health Research Network (SHRN).
