Breakout 5 - Research with CYP - Innovative research design for research with children and young people

Enabling children’s participation in web surveys: cogability testing for the EOPS Primary study

This paper presents learning from the development of year three of the Five to Twelve study (funder: DfE). It demonstrates how cognitive and user survey testing methods can be adapted for young children to generate meaningful insights into online survey design. It shares learning on constraints and considerations for child-friendly questionnaire design and reflections on the role of parental support.

Samantha Spencer, Aditi Das & Honor Mitcheson (National Centre for Social Research (NatCen))

Meaningful Inclusion at Scale: Methodological Innovations in National Youth Policy Research

This session examines methodological challenges and solutions in conducting large-scale inclusive government research. Drawing on the Youth Matters: National Youth Strategy project (14,000+ young people), we explore how to balance robust research frameworks with trauma-informed, co-produced approaches. Practical insights for applied researchers navigating competing stakeholder demands whilst ensuring marginalised voices meaningfully shape policy outcomes.

Tom Shelley (Savanta)

Breakout 6: Inclusive Research Practice 2

Meeting People Where They Are: Rethinking Interviewer Approaches for Marginalised Communities

This presentation examines the realities, challenges, and benefits of flexible, interviewer led research with seldom-heard groups. Drawing on studies with people experiencing rough sleeping and destitution, it shows how skilled interviewers, strong frontline partnerships, inclusive materials, and robust planning, training, and operational support enable high quality research in complex and unpredictable environments.

Charlotte Saunders & Lawrence Platts (Verian)

Co-production in Government Social Research (GSR) - Learning from a Welsh Government and Disability Rights Taskforce Collaborative Research Project

Co-production in Government Social Research (GSR) - learning from a Welsh Government and Disability Rights Taskforce collaborative research project. Welsh Government researchers and members of the Disability Rights Taskforce will co-present on the added value of co-production as an empowering methodology and practical considerations for carrying out co-production in government contexts.

Sharon Cross, Helen Shankster & Emma Sullivan (Welsh Government)

Breakout 7: Learning from Evaluating Complex Systems / Programmes 2

Learnings from Developing Employment Support Interventions and Evaluation Design in Tandem

We will present key successes, challenges and lessons learned from INCLUDE, a project that uniquely embeds evaluation considerations from the outset of intervention development. The presentation will provide honest reflections from the funder (YFF) and the project consortium (RAND Europe, Dartington Service Design Lab, TONIC) on the benefits and pitfalls to embedding evaluation at such an early stage.

Merrilyn Groom (RAND Europe), Katie Potter (Dartington Service Design Lab) & Amy Small (Youth Futures Foundation)

Evaluating Whole-System Policy: Learning from the Young Person’s Guarantee

This paper highlights learning from evaluating the Young Person’s Guarantee, a model of ambitious inter-departmental working which aimed to shape a complex system to support young people in the wake of the pandemic. Using a theory-based, behavioural and systems approach, it explores how evaluators can link system change to young people’s behaviour, and shares practical lessons on evaluating complex systems.

Duncan Holtom (People and Work)

Breakout 8: Bridging Disciplinary and Geographical Boundaries

Bridging Lived Experience and Economic Modelling: A Cross‑Sector Partnership to Provide Evidence, Shift Narratives and Shape Policy on Hunger and Hardship

This presentation reflects on a cross‑sector partnership that combined participatory lived‑experience research with economic modelling to understand and address severe hardship in the UK. We share practical learning on integrating contrasting evidence traditions, navigating ethics, and generating engagement. The session highlights how this approach strengthened advocacy and helped influence major policy change, including the lifting of the two‑child benefit limit.

Alex Bennett-Clemmow (Humankind Research), Tom Weekes (Trussell) & Rob Fontana-Reval (WPI Economics)

Bridging geographical boundaries: Lessons from carrying out international education research

This presentation explores the challenges and opportunities of conducting applied social research across international contexts. Drawing on Oxford MeasurEd's experience carrying out education research and evaluation in the UK and low- and middle-income countries, it offers practical lessons, top tips, and reflections on how researchers and partners can strengthen collaboration, improve evidence use, and learn from one another across borders,

Lydia Marshall and Anushay Mazhar (Oxford MeasurEd)