Children’s Commissioner’s office

The project specification will be discussed and agreed with the successful applicant at the beginning of the placement, taking into account their skills, experience and interests, and the ever-changing work of the office.

For example, further analysis using R of the Children’s Commissioner’s unique school survey data. Initial findings were published at www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk in September 2025 based on data gathered from 14,612 primary schools and 2,860 secondary schools (86% of schools and colleges in England). The survey covers topics including staff roles and resources, pupil characteristics, adjustments for pupils with SEND, and school leader concerns. The responses have been linked at school level with Get Information About Schools data. The student would be expected to lead on planning, carrying out and reporting of new lines of analysis, including presenting results clearly to non-analyst colleagues, and data visualisation. They will be expected to respond flexibility to any ad-hoc requests or changes in scope.

Alongside the main project there will be opportunities to get involved in the wider work of the research team and office as a whole, such as carrying out fact checking and QA of draft outputs, assisting on visits and events, and assisting the office’s Help at Hand advice and representation service.

The student will have the opportunity to help improve the lives of children in England, through working in a dynamic and creative office which has a real impact on policy and practice. As a member of the research team the student will gain knowledge and experience of analysis using R of one or more datasets on children, which may be administrative data or data gathered directly by the office from (for example) local authorities, schools or police forces. They will benefit from exposure to the political environment of the office and from exposure to the real world of research and to colleagues, for example working with the policy team to iteratively develop analysis, working with the communications team to increase the impact of the analysis. The student will gain skills presenting their analysis to a non-technical audience of colleagues, and learn from following stringent quality assurance procedures equal to those followed by civil service analysts, and working alongside the analyst assigned as their quality assurer. The student will be able to join training provided to all Children’s Commissioner’s office staff on, for example, safeguarding and engaging with children. The research team is supportive and members of the team learn from each other and from resources such as DataCamp to improve their coding skills. However, in a small busy office there is a limit to the amount of support that can be provided, so the student will need to arrive already experienced and confident in R. Finally, there would be an opportunity to assist the office’s advocacy Help At Hand helpline by taking and directing calls on occasion, and/or assisting on visits, for example to schools, and events.

The student must be confident and experienced in using R for data analysis. In addition the ideal student will have some experience, or be gaining experience through their PhD, in the analysis of one or more UK government administrative datasets. They will have some knowledge or experience of: education, health, and/or children’s social care in England; policing and youth justice in England and Wales; and/or online safety in the UK. An interest in child rights and child voice, engagement or participation issues are desirable, as is an interest in issues for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities. Experience of survey data analysis is also desirable, as is experience of working with children or families. The ideal student will be an effective communicator and problem solver with skills in critical thinking, time management and organisation, able to work flexibly and deliver high quality analysis at pace.

The Children’s Commissioner’s office carries out research involving children, including vulnerable children. A DBS check will be required.

Please send a CV and cover letter to sarah.taylor@childrenscommissioner.gov.uk by 9am on Monday 1 December.