Learning from a decade’s poverty research

Research and impact lessons from Young Lives cohort study

Paul Dornanpaul.dornan@qeh.ox.ac.uk

1. Background to a unique study – following the experiences of 12,000 children in four countries over 15 years

2. Some key findings – esp. in relation to ‘leave no one behind’

- Fast changing societies- High aspirations for the future, linked with school- For child development, early is best, but its never

too late- Gender inequities reflect future opportunities, not

only current discrimination

3. What we have learned about policy impact – examples and lessons

- Publicly archived data set- Policy demand and research supply- Working with intermediaries- Capacity development – spaces to debate and

engage

BACKGROUND TO A UNIQUE STUDY• Goals:

- cohort study of childhood poverty - provide evidence to improve policies & practice

• Dual cohort design: studying nearly 12,000 children in 4 countries over 15 years – 2 cohorts, 8 years apart

• Publicly archived dataset creates platform for social science research

• Collaboration: - Dependent on willingness of children

and families to participate - Core funded by DFID, DGIS, IrishAid- Partners in each study country- Active relationships with UNICEF and

others

STUDY DESIGN: ‘FROM PHOTOGRAPH TO FILM STRIP’

LESSONS AROUND RESEARCH IMPACT/CONTRIBUTION (1)

Example 1: Capacity development• Creation of Child Research and Policy Forum in Ethiopia,

following research project which brought stakeholders together

• Benefits: Recognition of importance of face to fact contacts, improving research quality by peer interaction, and creation of space where researchers could engage with Ministry

• Challenges: keeping it going

Example 2: working with intermediaries• Important relationship with UNICEF, including with Office of

Research project to study the structural drivers of violence. • Benefits: Engagement of national teams (Young Lives and

UNICEF country offices) meant closer to national debates (Peru); working with intermediaries increases dissemination potential

• Challenges: Managing expectations of partners, reacting quickly

LESSONS AROUND RESEARCH IMPACT/CONTRIBUTION (2)

Example 3: Balancing policy demand and research supply • Project to analyse the case for pre-school interventions in

Ethiopia (funded by CIFF). Project changed direction to focus on implementation following a key policy change in Ethiopia

• Benefits: Really good policy engagement and contribution. Reacting to demand stimulated interest.

• Challenges: Moves away from original research intention.

Example 4: publicly archived data set• Total external users = 1,300. 1/3 non-OECD• Benefits: Stimulate external research potential; high VFM

return for initial investment• Challenges:

• Capacity gaps in needed skills in low-/middle-income countries (researcher and Government);

• Cohort studies pay off over time, not just within funded window

CONCLUSION• What have we learned?

- Fast changing societies- The child development answer: the importance of

Prevention, Accumulation, Interdependencies and Recovery- No one policy answer, but the central role of school in

children’s lives +key opportunity for ‘no one left behind’?

• Judging impact?- Biggest impacts likely to be on conceptual thinking, most of

the pay-off likely to occur after funded window and through the actions of others

- Value of measures like research ‘contribution’ or ‘pathways to impact’ to judge if Theory of Change stacks up, rather than impact per se.

- Impact attribution. Need better measures of ‘conceptual’ contribution

www.younglives.org.uk• methods and research papers• datasets (UK Data Archive)• publications• child profiles and photos• e-newsletter

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