About MatCHNet
– An introduction to MatCHNet and our published research framework
– A summary of MatCHNet’s members and stakeholders
– Podcast on MatCHNet’s activity and progress (2023)
News
Funded projects
– The impact of Sure Start on health and social care: Meng Le Zhang (Cardiff University) has received funding from UKRI to evaluate the impact of Sure Start Northern Ireland on infant & mothers health. MatCHNet supported scoping work for this project, as part of the pump priming scheme.
– Evaluating and simulating child poverty reduction policies to improve child and maternal health and reduce health inequalities: Anna Pearce (University of Glasgow) has received support from NIHR to evaluate child poverty reduction policies and identify ways to increase their benefits to health.
Recent Publications
Journal papers
1. Identifying opportunities for upstream evaluations relevant to child and maternal health: a UK policy-mapping review, Archives of Disease in Childhood (2023)
2. Using administrative data to evaluate national policy impacts on child and maternal health: a research framework from the Maternal and Child Health Network (MatCHNet), Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health (2023)
Policy reports and briefings
- Welfare grants in pregnancy and early childhood (5-page briefing, 12-page report)
- Early years education and childcare (5-page briefing, 15-page report)
- Universal Credit and welfare policies (5-page briefing, 18-page report)
Data briefings
Methods briefings
Presentations
– Perinatal mental health: Research Data Scotland Public Engagement Fund Project and Presentation (February 2024)
– Podcasts: 15 minutes on Health Inequalities (Healthy Start vouchers evaluation – November 2023; MatCHNet – April 2023; Baby Boxes in Finland and Scotland – July 2023)
– MatCHNet at European Public Health Week (May 2022)
– Evidence Week in Holyrood March 2022 (link to short video presentation)
– UKPRP Health and Early Years Webinar (October 2021)
– Policy prioritisation presentation to the Society for Social Medicine & Population Health 2021 virtual meeting
UKPRP activities
– GroundsWell webinar: Environmental Factors in Maternal and Child Health (December 2023) – link to recording)
Engagement Activities
– Perinatal mental health data animation (October 2023)
– Consultation responses (Work and Pensions Committee – Children in Poverty 2021); (ESRC Data Infrastructure Strategy 2021)
– Summaries of stakeholder consultation on policy priorities (March 2021); (June 2021)
Public engagement resources
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