PhD Studentship: NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South West Doctoral Award: The implementation of poverty-aware practice and poverty-proofing in family services

Project Description

Poverty and financial stress contribute to a range of poor outcomes for parents and children. While national policies to prevent and reduce this exist, some families fall through the gaps. This means that family services must step in. However, frontline practitioners working with parents often avoid talking about or addressing family financial well-being. Reasons include a lack of knowledge or confidence, and not viewing it as part of their job. Moreover, the system can leave low-income families feeling stigmatized and practitioners unsupported.

Addressing these problems has individual and structural aspects. 'Poverty-aware practice' focuses on how individual practitioners interact with individuals and families. It includes avoiding judgmental language, understanding how poverty affects behavior, supporting choice, and advocating for families' rights to material and other support. 'Poverty proofing' focuses on policies and systems, seeking to ensure that services do not make life harder for people in poverty. It includes removing hidden costs from services, not penalizing families for non-payment, and assessing how new policies might affect people in poverty.

However, there is limited research on how to implement such approaches effectively in family service settings (e.g., social care, education, early years), especially in the UK. Addressing this gap is important for reducing health inequalities. It also ties closely with the Government's Child Poverty Strategy and Best Start for Life guidance for Family Hubs.

The PhD aims to better understand how poverty-aware practice and poverty proofing are implemented in children and family services. What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing them? How do organizational context and resources shape take-up? How do practitioners and service settings apply these approaches?

Findings will inform the development of training materials and implementation guidance to support the delivery of poverty-aware practice and poverty proofing in practice.

Qualifications

• A relevant undergraduate degree
• Strong academic record
• Interest in social work, public health, or related fields
• Experience or interest in qualitative research methods

Skills

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Knowledge of poverty awareness and poverty proofing concepts
• Research skills, including qualitative research methods

Benefits

• Full Home tuition fees
• An annual tax-free stipend of at least £21,805 for 3 years full-time
• Training and development budget

Pay

The studentship is supported for 3 years and includes full Home tuition fees plus a stipend at the 2026/27 UKRI rate.

Schedule

The studentship will start on 1 October 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.