Sharing early insights: Reflections from a busy two weeks on the project

The last two weeks have been a busy but enjoyable period on the project. The inaugural Child and Family Conference took place 17-19 June at the University of Bristol, hosted by the Children and Families Research Centre. We presented on the UK policy context related to digital parenting and family support, alongside some preliminary findings from the project’s systematic research review, focussing on literature concerned with parenting and family support apps.

Last week we joined the annual Children’s Services Commissioners’ Conference alongside colleagues from the Centre for Care, to host a workshop titled Early Help and Family Support: Developing the role of digital resources and support for parents and parenting. We discussed some initial findings from the project, including data giving insights on parents' experiences with digital support, information and guidance.

There were some really thought-provoking sessions and discussions across both events, with the following common themes that relate to our current work on the project:

• A continued need to include the voices of children and families, and greater consideration of their lived experiences and perspectives, in the research and discourse concerned with them and their lives, the decisions and policies that affect them, and the development of services designed for them.

• Critical discourse related to children’s and families’ digital futures is a real and pressing priority for many, across research, policy and practice, and service design and development. Especially critical perspectives on datafication, pervasive structural inequalities shaping childhoods, family life and citizen-state relations.

• The importance of cohesive support structures and holistic considerations of support contexts, to enhance and improve experiences and outcomes for children and families.

Some key questions to reflect on include:

• What are the key drivers and influences that will help shape children’s and families’ digital experiences and digital existences in the coming years?

• What approaches can we take to help provide meaningful, positive contributions to children’s and families’ lives, against the backdrop of a fast-moving digital landscape, increasingly characterised by depersonalised and platformised existences that are controlled by increasingly influential power structures?

Huge thanks to the organisers at the Children and Families Research Centre, particularly Afua Twum-Danso Imoh, and the Commissioners Conference team, especially Martin Quinn for two really engaging events. And thanks to our colleagues and supporters at the Nuffield Foundation, the Centre for Care and the University of Sheffield School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations. Now time to head back into project work and get immersed in data processing and analysis!