Building and Maintaining Research Partnerships to Strengthen Child and Family Policy Research

Session Type: Federal Agency Professional Development Conversation Roundtable

Abstract

Research partnerships are a critical part of policy research. In fact, they are a requirement of all research funding opportunities from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Developing and maintaining partnerships across research, policy, and program sectors can be challenging. However, collaborating with government and community agencies at local, state or federal levels strengthens the relevance and implications of public scholarship. In addition, the research is more likely to inform policies and a wide range of programmatic decisions that are not often considered by researchers. A panel of researchers from multiple settings (i.e., universities, research organizations) who have received ACF funding and have experience collaborating with staff in policy and program sectors will address several questions that are often asked by researchers interested in conducting research that informs child and family policy, including: How do you establish partnerships with community-based organizations or government agencies administering services for children and families?, How do you build and maintain productive research partnerships?, How are partnerships across research and policy sectors different from partnerships across academic or research institutions?, How do research partnerships shape/affect the work of researchers in academic institutions?, How can you ensure equitable research within these partnerships? We will begin the session with a brief overview of ACF grant programs that require research partnerships. Then panelists will describe their partnerships and answer guiding questions. Finally, an open discussion will explore audience questions and interests.

Kathleen Dwyer, Ph.D. (Moderator)

Celine Domitrovich, Ph.D.

Kathryn Tout, Ph.D.

Lisa Knoche, Ph.D.

Michelle Sarche, Ph.D.

Sub Unit

• Federal Agency Sessions

Moderator

• Kathleen M. Dwyer, United States Administration for Children and Families

Panelists

• Celene Elizabeth Domitrovich, Georgetown University School of Medicine

• Lisa L Knoche, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Kathryn A Tout, Child Trends -Minnesota

• Michelle Sarche, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus