Cooperative Childrearing in Middle Childhood and Biosocial Pathways to Adolescent Wellbeing
Principal Investigator: Dr Emily Emmott
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The UCL Cooperative Childrearing Study is a mixed-methods research study investigating the collective role of parents and alloparents in England. Alloparents are people other than a child's biological parents -such as step-parents, relatives, community members, or childcare providers- who help bring up and care for children.
The study is being conducted in two parts:
1) The first part is a quantitative study using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children dataset (ALSPAC). ALSPAC is an ongoing birth cohort study which began in 1991, based at the University of Bristol. Using data collected in middle childhood (age 6-10 years old) and adolescence, we are investigating how parents and alloparents provide care during middle childhood, and how that relates to adolescent outcomes such as stress, anxiety/depression and health-related behaviours.
2) The second part is an interview study being conducted in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. We are speaking to children and adults to better understand individual experiences of growing up, and how that might be influenced by different caregivers like parents and alloparents.​
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We are recruiting for the interview study now! Click here to sign up
Project Details
​People who are from the former county of Avon, which includes Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, aged:
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10-12 years old
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16-18 years old
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30-35 years old​​
Who?
What?
Interviews talking about who/what is important with raising your child or who/what was important with raising you.
When?
In February-May 2026
Where?
Either in your home, local cafe, community spaces or online
We will have an interview that consists of two parts:
Object Activity: You bring three objects that represent important memories from when you were a child or for your child now (like a toy, photo, book, or anything meaningful to you) and talk to us about them.
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Life Story Interview: We'll ask you questions about the different people who have helped care for you or your child - like family members, teachers, family friends, neighbours, or others.
How?
Why?
We are interested in how the people who brought you up/help raise your child impact your life.