Oxford Social Policy and Intervention
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dspi-oxford.bsky.social
Oxford Social Policy and Intervention
@dspi-oxford.bsky.social
We are the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford. Our teaching and research aim is to contribute to social reform across the globe, reducing inequalities and bringing positive change to people’s lives.  
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'Welcome to DSPI, where your passion for social justice meets world-class education.' 🌟
Are you looking to further your study in #SocialPolicy, evidence-based interventions or #policy evaluation?
Hear from our community about life at DSPI: youtu.be/GQ8OliDFG9o
#StudyAtDSPI @ox.ac.uk
Student experiences at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention
YouTube video by Department of Social Policy and Intervention Oxford
youtu.be
Many congratulations to Professor Frances Gardner CMG and Dr Gabriela Pavarini who were both recognised at the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Awards 2025! @acamh.bsky.social
More: www.spi.ox.ac.uk/article/dspi...
A fantastic recognition of their impactful work 👏
DSPI researchers receive awards for outstanding contributions to child and adolescent mental health
Professor Frances Gardner CMG was awarded the ACAMH President’s Medal for Lifetime Contribution to Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Dr Gabriela Pavarini received the ACAMH Digital Innovation Award ...
www.spi.ox.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
'Welcome to DSPI, where your passion for social justice meets world-class education.' 🌟
Are you looking to further your study in #SocialPolicy, evidence-based interventions or #policy evaluation?
Hear from our community about life at DSPI: youtu.be/GQ8OliDFG9o
#StudyAtDSPI @ox.ac.uk
Student experiences at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention
YouTube video by Department of Social Policy and Intervention Oxford
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 PM
How can we co-design effective mental health interventions?
Join our seminar with Dr Tatiana Taylor Salisbury @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social sharing her experience working with adolescents & their communities in Kenya & Mozambique.
📅13 Nov 4pm
In-person & online
Info: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/58d...
November 7, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Happening tomorrow! Join us for next seminar with Prof Delan Devakumar - more⬇️
Prof Devakumar is Director of the UCL Centre for the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents and the UCL Race & Health group, as well as chair of the Lancet Commission on Racism and Child Health.
November 5, 2025 at 4:19 PM
NEW article from Prof Mary Daly in @bmj.com discusses the £500 million investment in a fair pay agreement for care workers.
She notes the positive steps, but highlights several fundamental structural problems that remain in the adult #SocialCare sector⬇️
Read: doi.org/10.1136/bmj....
Fair pay agreement for care workers is welcome but needs a reality check
The government’s slow drip approach does not reflect the urgent nature of the challenges facing adult social care, writes Mary Daly The recent announcement by Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State f...
doi.org
November 4, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Do you have or work with children under 5 years of age? Help shape research on babies' & young children's development🧵
Prof Jane Barlow & Dr Michael Fanner are co-leading The Developing Child UK Research Priority Setting Partnership.
NEW survey: ihv.org.uk/news-and-vie...
@academichv.bsky.social
Help Shape Future Research on Babies’ and Young Children’s Development - IHV
We’ve launched a new survey to better understand what matters most for babies, young children, and their families, and we need your expertise. This short survey invites you to share any questions, con...
ihv.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Thinking of applying to study at DSPI?
We've pulled together lots of resources that might be helpful. Discover:
- Course details
- Teaching methods & facilities
- Admissions info for @ox.ac.uk
- Funding & #scholarships
Find out more: www.spi.ox.ac.uk/studying-dspi
#StudyAtDSPI
October 31, 2025 at 3:52 PM
How is racism and xenophobia affecting health across the world? 🌍
Join our next seminar with Prof Delan Devakumar @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social: "Migration and racism and global health"
🗓6 November 4pm
📍In-person & online
🔗Book now: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/225... #GlobalHealth
Migration and racism and global health
In this seminar Professor Devakumar will describe how racism and xenophobia affect health across the world. The talk will describe some of the historical and political roots, health outcomes and a sys...
talks.ox.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Registration is OPEN for our annual Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture, with speaker Professor Frank Vandenbroucke (Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium) ⬇️
Find out more: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2025-sidne...
@stjohnsox.bsky.social @socsci.ox.ac.uk .uk #WelfareStates #SocialPolicy
2025 Sidney Ball Memorial Lecture
RESPONSIBILITY AND THE DEMANDS OF SOLIDARITY - Defending the welfare state in hard times
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM
NEW research by Dr @dirkwitteveen.bsky.social reveals the persistence of racial inequality in the 1910-20s Great Migration ⬇️
The findings reveal that the Great Migration maintained racial gaps in career mobility.
Read in full 🔗 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Racial Gaps in Career Mobility during the Great Migration - Dirk Witteveen, 2025
The author investigates whether the Great Migration closed or mitigated racial disparities in career advancement. Using linked historical census data, tracking ...
journals.sagepub.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by Oxford Social Policy and Intervention
NEW: A study led by @dspi-oxford.bsky.social finds that UK households see their income fall by 17% in the first year after job loss – a much sharper hit than in Nordic or continental countries.

Read more ⬇️
UK families lose nearly a fifth of income after job loss, Oxford
A new study led by the Department of Social Policy and Intervention (DSPI) at the University of Oxford has found that UK households see their income slashed by 17% in the first year after job loss -
www.ox.ac.uk
October 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Job alert!
We're looking for a Departmental Lecturer in Comparative Social Policy to deliver teaching, supervision and service on MSc and MPhil courses in Comparative Social Policy.
Apply by 14 Nov
More info: my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
October 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Looking for a welcoming community for graduate study into #SocialPolicy taught by renowned academic experts?
Let us introduce ourselves!
DSPI is a friendly department at @ox.ac.uk. We're made up of talented people making a huge impact.
Watch our video: youtu.be/GQ8OliDFG9o
#StudyAtDSPI
Student experiences at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention
YouTube video by Department of Social Policy and Intervention Oxford
youtu.be
October 27, 2025 at 11:19 AM
NEW research from @sbeduk.bsky.social finds that UK families lose nearly a fifth of income after job loss - far more than in other EU countries ⬇️
The findings suggest the need for stronger unemployment support.
October 27, 2025 at 9:34 AM
NEW report presented this week at the UN General Assembly references research by Prof Tim Vlandas (Professor of Comparative Political Economy and Social Policy) exploring how can welfare state policies can reduce likelihood of votes for the far-right ⬇️
🚨Today at 15:00 NY/21:00 GENEVA…My presentation to the UN General Assembly #UNGA80 on how the rolling back of social protection for people living in #poverty has created fertile ground for far-right movements across the world

Follow live/read the report: www.srpoverty.org/2025/10/01/f...
October 24, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Join us next week for our seminar with Professor Karen Devries @lshtm.bsky.social, exploring her career and how we can conduct research into violence in a safe and ethical way ⬇️
📅 30 Oct, 4pm
Registration required for external attendees - find out more: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/e6c...
October 23, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Does 'evidence-based policy' oversimplify an inherently political process?
Join Dr Justin Parkhurst @lsehealthpolicy.bsky.social for “The politics of evidence – from evidence-based policy to the good governance of evidence”
🗓21 Oct 5pm
📍In-person & online
🔗Register: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/f33...
October 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Congratulations to Dr Michael Fanner, Sr Postdoctoral Researcher, who is joining the prestigious Dame Elizabeth Fradd Leadership Programme to become an @ihealthvisiting.bsky.social Fellow – the UK’s leading organisation for health visiting!
www.spi.ox.ac.uk/people/micha...
@kpmguk.bsky.social
Dr Michael Fanner
www.spi.ox.ac.uk
October 15, 2025 at 8:41 AM
📢Book your free spot at our first seminar of term!
Join Prof Mark Graham @oii.ox.ac.uk for: “The hidden human labour powering AI: Introducing the Fairwork Action Research Project”
🗓16 October 4pm
📍In-person & online
Register now: talks.ox.ac.uk/talks/id/760...
@geoplace.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Congrats to Dr Mona Ibrahim (Strategic Policy Lead), highly commended in the @socsci.ox.ac.uk 2025 Impact Awards!
She was recognised for her work on conflict-sensitive assistance in Sudan; support that both meets urgent needs & facilitates long-term recovery.
🔗 www.spi.ox.ac.uk/article/dspi...
DSPI researcher highly commended for work on conflict-sensitive recovery in Sudan
www.spi.ox.ac.uk
October 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
NEW article from Maria Ambrosio (DPhil Student & Teaching Fellow at DSPI, Global Parenting Initiative Future Leader)⬇️
What influences the intention to use a chatbot-led public health programme for caregivers of adolescent girls in low-income South African countries? doi.org/10.2196/76992
Exploring the Association Between Behavioral Determinants and Intention to Use a Chatbot-Led Parenting Intervention by Caregivers of Adolescent Girls in South Africa: Cross-Sectional Study
Background: While digital innovation, including chatbots, offers a potentially cost-effective means to scale public health programs in low-income settings, user engagement rates remain low. Barriers t...
doi.org
October 7, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Fran Bennett (Emeritus Fellow) has been appointed to the Social Security Advisory Committee - an independent statutory body advising the UK Government on social security.
It's fantastic to see one of our members contributing to such vital conversations. More:
www.spi.ox.ac.uk/article/fran...
Fran Bennett joins Social Security Advisory Committee
During her five-year term, Fran will take part in the Committee’s functions of advising on social security and related matters.
www.spi.ox.ac.uk
September 29, 2025 at 11:21 AM
📅 Today: Dr Bridget Steele is speaking at the symposium 'Unheard, Unseen, and Unspoken: Setting a Research Agenda for Sexual Harassment and Violence in Higher Education'
🔗 www.mvbz.fu-berlin.de/en/termine/2...
📍Margherita von Brentano Center for Gender Studies, @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social
Symposium: Unheard, Unseen, and Unspoken: Setting a Research Agenda for Sexual Harassment and Violence in Higher Education
www.mvbz.fu-berlin.de
September 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Just under a month to submit manuscripts for this special issue of Social Science and Medicine!
'Violence against children: Theory, measurement, and new research directions’
Find out more about specific areas for which submissions are invited: www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
September 17, 2025 at 9:37 AM