A study being carried out by Coventry University and the University of Warwick aims to explore what fatherhood is like for men who were in care as children, and they need care experienced fathers to take part.

The researchers are looking for fathers aged over 18 who were in local authority care as children, and who now have regular contact with at least one biological child aged 0-16 years old.

The new research study was tweeted by trainee clinical psychologist, Emma Dandy, on 19th August. Though Emma’s role in the study is not clear, her professional background might suggest that this study may assess participants’ mental health as part of its remit.

The flyer Emma shared offers the following information:

• Willing participants will be interviewed for 60-90 minutes
• The questions will focus on experiences around foster care, and being a father
• Interviews are set to take place at the Rees Foundation Base in Redditch or Oxford, but can also be arranged at Coventry University, Warwick University or another venue that may be easier for the participant to get to
• The study aims to give care experienced fathers, and father generally, a voice, develop greater understanding around the father-child relationship and help to inform support services
• The study cannot interview fathers who are currently engaged in child protection proceedings which relate to their own children

The research could also be featured at a new event in 2019, called the “Care Experience Conference”, which is mentioned in the tweet featuring the study. The Twitter account for the event claims that the conference is “a coming together of care experienced people of all ages in Spring 2019.” No website link or further details appear to be available for this conference.

You can contact the researchers through Emma, on dandye@uni.coventry.ac.uk for further information.

If you are considering taking part in this study, do ask more questions first. In particular, we would recommend asking the following:

• Who is funding the research?
• Is the interview going to involve a psychological assessment?
• What will you do with the information I share?
• Will my details be made public or can I contribute anonymously if I want to?
• Who else is involved in the study?
• When will the research be published?
• Will you be featuring the findings at conferences, within course lectures or elsewhere, and if so is the project GDPR compliant?

Good luck.