Engaging the Public: Translating Sociological Research involving Children and Young People into Societal Impact

A BSA Postgraduate Regional Event

25 August 2026 (9.30am-4.45pm)
University of Edinburgh, UK

About the Event

“Engaging the Public: Translating Sociological Research involving Children and Young People into Societal Impact” is a hybrid symposium that will facilitate conversations with leading experts on public engagement and the societal impact of social science research involving children and young people.

Aims of the event:

To amplify diverse ways of learning and doing public engagement through open dialogue with leading experts.
To create a platform of voice and visibility for PGRs to present their research and demonstrate engagement with the public.
To encourage knowledge exchange by creating a space for the participants to connect with their peers working in related social sciences fields.

Speaker Bios:

Dr Aravinda Kosaraju is a Senior lecturer in child protection at the University of Kent, Vice Chair at the Ivison Trust, and Trustee at the Kent Sexual Assault and Abuse Service.
Dr Sarah McGeown is Professor of Literacy (Psychology & Education) at the University of Edinburgh. She works in research-practice partnerships and adopts participatory approaches to integrate professional, practical and lived experience insights into academic research.
Dr Adriana Duta is a Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh. Her research examines social stratification and inequalities in education and the labour market using large-scale data.
Eilidh Lamb is a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and a social work researcher whose work focuses on community contexts and practice with children and young people.

Call for Papers

We are excited to invite abstracts for presentation at our hybrid symposium on the theme, “Translating Sociological Research with Children and Young People into Societal Impact”, supported by the British Sociological Association (BSA). Each presentation will be for 10-minutes followed by 5 minutes of questions. We aim for these presentations to showcase high-quality public engagement and impact work, as well as case studies from sociological research involving children and/or young people.

The sociological research community undertakes a broad spectrum of studies focused on children and young people, spanning areas such as education, social inequality, public policy, and cultural studies, among others. Researchers employ a wide range of methods within these areas, from quantitative to qualitative and mixed methods, which enriches our understanding of subject areas but may also make it challenging for the public to engage with our research.

This event will focus on how we translate research insights for non-academic audiences, ensuring they inform and benefit stakeholders across the UK and beyond, including policymakers, practitioners, children and young people themselves, and the wider public.

Our sessions are open to both Post Graduate Researchers (PhD students) and Early Career Researchers, creating a supportive and welcoming space for presenting planned, ongoing, or completed research projects. We invite abstracts of no more than 250 words that engage with any aspect of public engagement or impact in Sociological research involving children and/or young people.

Possible themes include, but are not limited to:

Engaging the public through childhood and youth research in global contexts
Children and young people’s rights
Creative and critical engagement with quantitative evidence
Engaging children and young people or other stakeholders with research findings
Innovative methods for public engagement and impact
Digital and online engagement (e.g. social media, podcasts, games, interactive tools)
Evaluating and evidencing the impact of research
Collaborative engagement and impact through research partnerships
Translating research into policy and practice
Creating impact through arts-based, creative, or participatory methods
Ethical and safeguarding issues in impact and engagement with children and young people

Abstract submission guidelines:

A paper title and abstract (no more than 250 words) with 3/5 keywords.

In your abstract, please briefly outline:

The focus of your research and its relevance to children and/or young people
The public engagement or impact activities (completed, ongoing, or planned)
The key reflections, lessons learned, or challenges you aim to share

Submission is via Microsoft Teams Form>>

Deadline for submission: midday (BST) on 30 July 2026.

Registration

Registration will open in due course.