Studentship description/person specification REF: KB/DW Summary details Unit name: Division/Section: Job title MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit Sexual Health and Families Programme PhD Research Studentship: Paternal involvement in early years programmes: a qualitative study £13,590 pa N/A years 36/week *Salary range: *Band (Grade): *Contract type (e.g Open/Fixed term): *Hours (e.g full or part time): Detailed job description Studentship details Are you looking for a studentship in social and public health sciences? We can offer a great opportunity if you have a 1st or 2:1 degree in a relevant social science (eg Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology) and, by the starting date, a masters degree in social science research or public health You will conduct a PhD study in a leading research establishment and so take a substantial step towards a rewarding research-based or academic career You will receive a maintenance stipend of £13,590 per annum and funding for the research undertaken The studentship project We know relatively little about the subjective experience of fatherhood amongst socially excluded men: their attitudes towards and experiences of pregnancy, becoming a parent and fathering a baby, and the level and nature of their involvement with the child (Buston, 2010) Parenting interventions are much more likely to target mothers than fathers The evidence base for the effectiveness of parenting interventions for fathers is weak, and particularly for sub-groups of fathers such as those who are young, involved in the criminal justice system, or substance users (Buston, Parkes, Thomson, Wight, & Fenton, 2011) The THRIVE trial will recruit mothers identified as vulnerable in pregnancy to compare the cost effectiveness of two interventions in improving both mother – child interaction and maternal mental health One of the interventions (Enhanced Triple P for Baby) involves fathers to a large extent, the other (Mellow Bumps) does so to a much lesser degree A third control arm involves treatment as usual The PhD study will recruit a subsample of partners of women from all three arms of the trial, and will use in-depth interviews to explore the men’s experience and interpretation of these interventions in the context of their fathering role The men’s experience of fathering, notions of ‘good parenting’, aspirations around parenting, and perceptions of how the health services see their role are topics that could be explored in relation to their differing levels of engagement with the interventions (Dermott, 2008; Paschal, Lewis-Moss, & Hsiao, 2011; Townsend, 2002) We will be particularly interested in whether, and how, fathers’ perceptions of the interventions affect their partners’ participation in them The studentship will therefore form an important component of the process evaluation within the trial The details of this studentship project will be developed in conjunction with you, as the research student Please note that funding for the THRIVE trial is still to be confirmed; if it is not funded a project based on the same themes will be designed Whether attached to THRIVE or not, we expect a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with socially excluded fathers The project will aim to explore and describe: what ‘good parenting’ means to the men; their aspirations for fatherhood; how health professionals shape their fathering activities; and their perceptions of how agencies and interventions view their roles as fathers MRC Job description & person specification template v1.0 (Nov10) Page of Buston, K (2010) Experiences of, and attitudes towards, pregnancy and fatherhood amongst incarcerated young male offenders: findings from a qualitative study Social Science and Medicine, 71, 2211-2218 Buston, K., Parkes, A., Thomson, H., Wight, D., & Fenton, C (2011) Parenting Interventions For Male Young Offenders: A Review Of Evidence On What Works Journal of Adolescence Dermott, E (2008) Intimate fatherhood London and New York: Temple University Press Paschal, A M., Lewis-Moss, R K., & Hsiao, T (2011) Perceived Fatherhood Roles and Parenting Behaviors Among African American Teen Fathers Journal of Adolescent Research, 26(1), 61-83 Townsend, N W (2002) The Package Deal: Marriage, work and fatherhood in men's lives Philadelphia: Temple University Press Working relationships You will be located in the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow The Unit has an excellent reputation for the environment that it is able to provide for its research students You will be jointly supervised by Dr Katie Buston and Professor Daniel Wight within the Sexual Health and Families Programme in the Unit, see biographies at http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/user/details/28-Katie-Buston http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/user/details/23-Daniel-Wight In addition, an advisory committee will be set up to provide support to the student and periodically review the progress of the studentship About the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit The aim of the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit is to promote human health via the study of social and environmental influences on health Our more specific objectives include: Studying how people’s social positions, and their social and physical environments, influence their physical and mental health and capacity to lead healthy lives; Designing and evaluating interventions aiming to improve public health and reduce social inequalities in health; and Influencing policy and practice by communicating the results and implications of research Current research programmes are (programme leader in brackets): Measuring health, variations in health and determinants of health (Alastair Leyland) Ethnicity and health (Seeromanie Harding) Evaluating the health effects of social interventions (Lyndal Bond) Gender and health (Kate Hunt) Neighbourhoods and health (Anne Ellaway) Sexual health and families (Danny Wight) Social patterning of health over the lifecourse (Michaela Benzeval) Understandings and use of public health research (Shona Hilton) The Unit is centrally located in the Glasgow University Hillhead campus and has its own specialist library and librarian, a network of PCs running a wide range of software, and skilled in-house computing, statistical and clerical support We use standard Microsoft packages and more specialised software There are currently around 45 researchers, 15 support staff and 13 full-time PhD students in the Unit Our researchers and students have backgrounds in statistics, epidemiology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, medicine, economics, history, geography and human sciences We are MRC Job description and person specification template v1.0 Page of the largest concentration of health social scientists in the MRC’s intramural programme, and have an active PhD programme We are jointly funded by the MRC and the Chief Scientist Office at the Scottish Government Health Directorate, and receive grant funding from Government Departments, charities and other Research Councils (e.g DfID, CRUK, ESRC, NIHR) For further information about the Unit, including details of the research programmes, visit http://www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk/ About the Sexual Health and Families Programme The programme is led by Professor Daniel Wight The broad objectives of the sexual health and families programme are to: Understand better the sexual health of vulnerable groups and how to improve it Understand better the influence of family life on sexual health and other health-related outcomes, how this varies socio-culturally, and how these influences might be improved Understand better how the influence of families is interrelated with that of school and the media Understand better the mechanisms, and efficacy, of health promotion interventions at both an individual and collective level Strengthen research capacity, particularly in east Africa Details of the current and recent work of the programme can be found on the Unit’s website www.sphsu.mrc.ac.uk Qualifications/requirements: It is essential that candidates should have a 2.1 or st class degree in the social sciences and, by the start of the project, have a masters degree related to social science research or public health Duration and conditions of award: The studentship is funded by the MRC The successful candidate will be located in the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit and will register for a PhD at the University of Glasgow Both the MRC and the University place a high value on training in generic and specific research skills and in transferable skills The Unit and Glasgow University have review processes in place to ensure that all students are making adequate progress and the student will be obliged to comply with these The starting date for the studentship is expected to be September 2012 Further details about MRC studentships can be found in the MRC Postgraduate Studentships handbook:http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC002630 Eligibility: UK Residence To be eligible for a full MRC studentship (stipend and university fees), candidates must be able to demonstrate a relevant connection1 to the United Kingdom at the date of application UK nationals who have lived most of their lives in the UK will have demonstrated a relevant connection Individuals who were not born in the UK but have been granted UK citizenship or have come to settle in the UK (e.g immigrant status, refugee or an individual granted humanitarian protection) need to demonstrate that they have a relevant connection through ordinary residence.2 MRC Job description and person specification template v1.0 Page of European Economic Area3 citizens who are migrant workers4 (or their spouse or children) and can demonstrate ordinary residence in the EEA are eligible EU nationals who have spent the three years prior to application resident in the UK (this can include residence while undertaking undergraduate study) 1 A relevant connection can be established if an individual has been ordinarily resident in the UK throughout the years preceding the date of application Candidates may be classed as demonstrating ordinary residence when they are temporarily absent overseas (see below) where the nature of their profession demands that they spend periods overseas (e.g research) or have been receiving full-time education overseas 2 Lord Scarman defined ordinary residence as ‘habitual and normal……from choice and for a settled purpose throughout the prescribed period, apart from temporary or occasional absence’ ‘…voluntarily adopted… ’ ‘there must be some degree of settled purpose (and) a sufficient degree of continuity to be properly described as settled’ Ordinary residence is proven if a candidate would have been in the UK (or EEA) if it were not for the fact that s/he, his/her spouse, parent or guardian is/was temporarily employed outside of the area European Economic Area means the areas comprised by the member states of the European Community (currently Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and UK) An EEA migrant worker can be defined (for these purposes) as a citizen of a member state of the EEA who is employed in the UK and who should be treated as a national of the UK The employment of an EEA migrant worker can be full-time or part-time but must be relevant to the candidate’s previous or future training Candidate’s employed in part-time or short-term casual employment or who are effectively unemployed cannot be considered to hold migrant worker status The European Economic Area is constantly growing; member countries should be checked regularly Visa/Work Permits Candidates who are resident in the UK on a student visa, work permit or dependent visa which have restrictions on the time they may stay in the UK, and cannot demonstrate a relevant connection or settled status will not be eligible on residence grounds Nationals of European Economic Area (EEA) Member States A migrant worker, or the spouse or child of a migrant worker, is eligible for a full MRC award (maintenance stipend plus fees) if they are employed in the UK at the time the application is made, and are either: (a) An EU national with a relevant connection to the European Union; or, (b) A national of a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) not in the EU i.e Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein with a relevant connection to the EEA Nationals of the European Union If a student is from an EU country, but cannot demonstrate a relevant connection through ordinary residence, they may be eligible for a studentship for tuition fees, but not for a maintenance stipend Nationals of the Isle of Man Candidates from the Isle of Man are not normally eligible for an MRC Studentship and should apply to their education authority for support: The Isle of Man Education Department, St George’s Court, Upper Church Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IMI 2SG (Telephone: 01624 685820) MRC Job description and person specification template v1.0 Page of A candidate from the Isle of Man will not have established eligibility for consideration for an MRC Studentship through any period of ordinary residence in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland during which s/he has been in full-time education This relates to the tax status of an individual or their parents, if no tax is received from residents of the Isle of Man then they are not eligible for certain benefits As tax is paid locally it is the Isle of Man that is responsible for the education costs of its subjects Equality & Diversity The MRC values the diverse skills and experience of its employees and is committed to achieving equality of treatment for all Our objectives are that all individuals shall have equal opportunities for employment and advancement on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities The MRC is committed to the engagement and retention of the best possible talent and to creating an environment that encourages excellence in scientific research through good equalities and diversity leadership and management Corporate/Local responsibilities & requirements The student must at all times carry out their responsibilities with due regard to the MRC’s: Code of Conduct Equality and Diversity policy Health and Safety policy Data Protection and Security policy The above lists are not exhaustive and the student is required to undertake such duties as may reasonably be requested within the scope of the post All employees are required to act professionally, co-operatively and flexibly in line with the requirements of the post and the MRC How to apply If you would like to apply, please send a covering letter and CV to Nicola Durkin (n.durkin@sphsu.mrc.ac.uk), clearly stating in your letter why you would like to be considered for the studentship and how you meet each of the criteria listed in the person requirements as indicated on our website noted above Please also supply the details of two academic referees Closing date for applications: 5th January 2012 at 12 noon Interviews are expected to be held in February 2012 Additional information Shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide a sample of their written academic work (e.g an essay or chapter from a dissertation) prior to interview, and a brief outline of their ideas for the studentship (no more than one page of A4) Please note that appointment will be made subject to pre-employment health, security screening and suitable academic references MRC Job description and person specification template v1.0 Page of Person requirements Education/qualifications/training: Essential: 1st or 2:1 Honours degree in a relevant social science (eg Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology) and a Masters degree in a relevant subject Subject knowledge Essential: Is familiar with the main theories of at least one social science discipline Knows the main strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative research Desirable: Undertaken undergraduate modules in health issues Aware of research on socially excluded men, parenting, and parenting interventions Understands the importance of process evaluation to complement outcome evaluations Data analysis Essential: An understanding of the process of qualitative data analysis Desirable: Experience of qualitative analysis Some experience of specialist software for qualitative data analysis Fieldwork skills Essential: An understanding of the issues surrounding the collection of qualitative data Desirable: Training or experience of conducting qualitative research, particularly in-depth interviews Literature searching and critical appraisal skills Essential: Ability to assimilate, summarise and evaluate relevant research literature Desirable: Awareness and experience of systematic review methods, experience of conducting a literature review Communication Essential: Good oral and written communication skills Ability and eagerness to engage with people from diverse social backgrounds, especially those socially marginalised Time management Essential: Ability to work to clear deadlines without close supervision Self direction Essential: Ability to direct work in an efficient and productive manner, and to respond to constructive criticism Motivation to gain a PhD Team working Essential: Readiness to participate in, and contribute to, Unit-wide activities and activities of the Sexual Health and Families programme MRC Job description and person specification template v1.0 Page of