Connecting Research, Practice, and Policy

Understanding the link between research, practice, and policy is important for both family scholars and practitioners. This workshop convenes a panel of experts in the area of family policy to discuss how they approach family issues – in their research and outreach – with a focus on impacting policy change. Panelist will discuss their own philosophical and epistemological approach to how they conceptualize their research goals and agenda in an effort to influence policies that affect the families and communities they work with. The panel will begin with a preplanned Q&A led by a discussant (40 min) to introduce key considerations for connecting research, practice, and policy, followed by an audience Q&A (35min).

Objectives

Audience members will gain knowledge in: (1) Designing and conducting research that directly influence the creation, change, or maintenance of family policy; (2) Formulating partnerships with individuals, families, and communities in ways that inform or change policy; (3) Conceptualizing philosophical and epistemological approaches to family policy research