Young Lives Impact

Research evidence informs policy thinking and processes in a number of ways. It generates new knowledge, but can also confirm what we know (ensuring that decisions are based on solid evidence) and challenge long-held assumptions about children’s lives. Researchers have an important role in working with policymakers to make the case for evidence-informed policymaking and in building the case for gathering better data. They also have a role to play in improving the knowledge and understanding of policymakers and organisations delivering programmes.

Young Lives focuses on fostering trust, building relationships, and developing policy-relevant questions to frame our analysis. We have invested long-term in working with networks and alliances in our study countries and internationally, sharing our data and findings with other researchers and policy organisations, and using a wide range of channels to keep child poverty firmly on the policy agenda.

The following impact case studies capture our impact across policy and research arenas from the most recent, right back to the inception of the study:

Building individual, institutional and national capacity for child-focused research

Child poverty, no one left behind, and the Global Goals

Creating a world class resource of multi-country longitudinal data

Early Child Development: informing policy and making it a priority

How poverty and gender combine to affect youth and adolescence

Influencing policy on child marriage in India and Ethiopia

Influencing the design and methodology of other studies

Nutrition, growth and potential for recovery

Providing evidence on violence affecting children

School effectiveness and its impact on poor children 

The above build on the case studies collected in 2017 which illustrated impact at that moment in time. Review them here:

Building capacity for child-focused research

Child poverty, ‘no one left behind’, and the Global Goals

Influencing policy on child marriage in India and Ethiopia

Providing evidence on violence affecting children

Informing early childhood development policy in Ethiopia

Influencing the design and methodology of new studies

Nutrition, growth and potential for recovery

How poverty and gender combine to affect adolescence

School effectiveness and equity for poor children

Creating a unique world class resource of multi-country longitudinal data