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Jane Barlow is wearing a black top and jacket, with short gray hair, smiling for the camera.

"Giving babies a voice" can improve early identification and support

09 July 2026
DSPI and iHV study recommends innovative observational health visiting tool to be rolled out across UK.
The Awards logo has a dark blue background with words '2026 Teaching Excellence Awards' in yellow, green, red and pink

Two DSPI associate professors receive University of Oxford teaching award

06 July 2026
Dr Bhatia and Dr Naczyk recognised for their outstanding teaching by University’s Social Science Division.
Chloe Brimicomb has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing a blue jacket, standing in front of a green background

Learning to cope with the heat in UK summers

23 June 2026
Dr Chloe Brimicombe explains how people can stay safe during heatwaves and why policies must go further to prepare for rising temperatures.
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Dr Bridget Steele wins 2026 Vice-Chancellor's Breakthrough Researcher Award

08 June 2026
How DSPI is leading research on sexual violence in higher education on national and international scale.
Dr Munoz has short black hair and black facial hair. He is wearing a short-sleeved blue shirt and standing outside a brick building.

DSPI's Dr Ismael G. Muñoz receives international research award for study on grandparents' role in child nutrition

08 June 2026
Research reveals how the benefits of grandparental co-residence vary across Africa's demographic and health contexts.
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Drought linked to 46% increase in sexual violence among adolescents in Southern Africa

02 June 2026
Study reveals climate change is increasing risks to child safety.
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DSPI community joins together for student-led Symposium for Early Researchers in Social Policy

27 May 2026
Department shares emerging research, exchange ideas, and strengthen DSPI's community of researchers.
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Should social media be banned for under 16s in the UK? DSPI students put theory into practice

27 May 2026
Students from DSPI's EBSIPE Master's and MPhil courses take on widely-debated policy question.
Elifcan has shoulder-length, curly dark hair. She is wearing a white shirt and a brown vest with a large white check. She is standing in front of a park fence, smiling.

Dr Elifcan Celebi wins ECPR's Best Paper on Public Policy award

26 May 2026
Winning paper examines how citizens can shape policy change even when democratic freedoms are constrained.
Three adolescent girls in colourful outfits. The girl in the middle has her arms around the shoulders of her friends either side. Credit: stock.adobe.com / Riccardo Niels Mayer

Parenting programmes reduce violence against teenage girls by over 60%

07 May 2026
Researchers call for large-scale programmes to be expanded to meet the needs of Africa's rapidly growing adolescent population.
Alex Sutherland has short fair hair and is wearing a light blue shirt with a navy jumper. He is standing outside in a garden, smiling at the camera.

How can we make early release and alternatives to prison safer?

29 April 2026
As major criminal justice reforms are being put in place, Professor Alex Sutherland writes for University of Oxford exploring the options for making early release and alternatives to prison safer.
The silhouette of a small child sitting on a bed holding a doll, facing a window with light coming through the curtains.

DSPI study shows long-term childhood poverty in Britain rose sharply after austerity reforms

13 April 2026
New research from Dr Selçuk Bedük provides the first comprehensive evidence that long-term childhood poverty in Britain has significantly surged following the austerity-era welfare reforms.
Professor Gardner and Professor Cluver. Prof Gardner has short blonde hair. She is wearing a dark blouse with a dark blue and green abstract pattern. Prof Cluver has long curly black hair. She is wearing a black top and pale pink scarf.

Listen to Professor Lucie Cluver and Professor Frances Gardner share insights into their work

19 March 2026
Both professors were recognised for their outstanding contributions to children's wellbeing in the King's Birthday Honours List 2025.
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In Memoriam: George Smith

03 March 2026
Find out more about the former head of DSPI and his work which focused on urban disadvantage, poverty and low income, social security, education and the measurement of deprivation.
A group of ten, smartly dressed people stand in front of a sponsorship banner at the Global Caregiver Forum in Madrid

DSPI contributes to global policy dialogue at inaugural Global Caregiver Forum 2026

17 February 2026
DSPI members play a leading role at the first-ever Global Caregiver Forum.
Two community health workers discuss the results shown on a handheld device.

Unlocking the full potential of community health workers for Africa's adolescents

28 January 2026
New study identifies opportunities to strengthen adolescent health and well-being in Africa.
A young smiling Nigerian woman looking at the camera, holding a mobile phone

Investing in adolescent girls can reduce child marriage and improve education in Nigeria

16 January 2026
New evidence shows that ending the practice of child marriage in Nigeria is both achievable and cost effective, and could boost economic and social development.
A male teacher sitting at a desk, talking to a mother and child who are sat opposite him with their backs to the camera.

Reducing school exclusions: what school-based interventions can - and can't - achieve

14 January 2026
Study identifies four factors shaping success of school-based measures in UK.
A runner wearing a smartwatch tracking their fitness statistics. They are holding their smartphone next to their wrist, looking at more detail on a fitness app.

Do we fully understand the potential challenges posed by self-surveillance technologies?

08 December 2025
New research examines how people understand and respond to Quantified Self (QS) technologies such as fitness trackers.
A man's hand holds out a handheld shotgun, aiming at nothing

Impact of gun violence extends beyond data dominating news and debate

25 November 2025
Research examines short-term, long-term, and cumulative impacts of exposure to gun violence.
Professor Frank Vandenbroucke is wearing a light suit and round glasses. He is leaning against a light wall.

Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium delivers DSPI's flagship lecture

13 November 2025
Professor Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health for Belgium, addressed the concept of pragmatism in political action at DSPI's annual Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture.