Have a read below to see what our ECR bursary winner Guy Skinner did with their award money.
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​Receiving an Early Career Researcher Bursary from VAMHN to attend the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect’s (ISPCAN) 2021 International Congress was an incredible opportunity that I am extremely grateful for.
As a researcher, I am incredibly passionate about improving the lives of vulnerable children who have suffered domestic abuse, especially those who live with parents with mental health and domestic violence issues themselves. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach to address.
Attending the ISPCAN 2021 International Congress provided me with a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest research findings and innovative practices in the field of child protection, particularly in relation to children who have experienced domestic abuse. The congress highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to child protection, which considers not only the individual needs of the child but also the family and community context in which they live.
My research focuses on child protection policies and practices, and how they can be improved to better support vulnerable children and their families. Through my work, I aim to identify the gaps and challenges in the current systems and to develop evidence-based solutions that are effective and sustainable.
My passion for this work stems from a deep commitment to social justice and a belief in the inherent value and dignity of all human beings, especially children who are often the most vulnerable members of our society. It is essential that we work together to ensure that all children have the opportunity to grow and thrive in safe and nurturing environments, free from the trauma and harm of domestic abuse.
In conclusion, attending the ISPCAN 2021 International Congress was an extremely valuable experience that has further fuelled my passion for improving the lives of vulnerable children who have experienced domestic abuse. It has provided me with new insights and perspectives, and a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to this important work. I am grateful for the support from VAMHN and look forward to continuing to make a meaningful contribution to this field.

Have a read below to see what our ECR bursary winner Tina Khanna did with their award money. 

I was awarded the Early Career Researcher Bursary from VAMHN to attend the 2022 Biennial Conference of the International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health. The conference was the most appropriate platform to meet the experts and peer researchers and learn about the latest developments and research in the field of perinatal mental health. In particular, I learned about research methods and techniques for measuring perinatal mental health among women. Further, the session on the father's involvement in pregnancy provided evidence to understand better the father's mental health and involvement in the family during the perinatal period. I also had the opportunity to present my research study that provided insights into the relationship between partner support and psychological distress among young women during pregnancy from a low- and middle-income country. Lastly, I also participated in the Father's Special Interest Research group meeting during the conference. I was thrilled to meet researchers and found the discussion on the challenges of enrolling fathers into research and implementation programs in perinatal mental health useful. Learning about creative and strategic ways of reaching out to fathers was exciting.
I am very grateful to VAMHN for providing this grant and supporting my participation at the conference.

Have a read below to see what our ECR bursary winner Natalie Lowry did with their award money. ​

The funding from the VAMHN has been greatly appreciated and vital in enhancing my career as a health psychologist. With the funding I have been able to register on the BPS health psychology course and pay for supervision fees with a chartered health psychologist. Having this qualification is fundamental in the progression of my research and ability to provide interventions in health psychology. Throughout my training I am also completing a PhD in addiction, which will be the setting the for intervention work I am carrying out as trainee.
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Health psychology interventions marry the knowledge of the mind and body, rather than treating them in isolation. Through this training I have already been designing and preparing the implementation of a cognitive behavioural therapy menopause group, for women that access addiction services. This is especially important as the menopause is a time were women experience higher rates of depression, intimate partner violence and symptoms that are liken to alcohol and opioid withdrawals. All of which can affect the type of treatment received and the amount of support women need from services. Having a health psychologist embedded within an addiction service is important as other team member’s working capacity does not allow them to focus on health psychology, which makes this additional qualification a great resource for interdisciplinary team within addiction services.
 

Have a read below to see what our ECR bursary winner Rebecca Brione did with their award money. ​

I was thrilled to be able to attend the Philosophy of Birth workshop at the University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, thanks to a VAMHN bursary. The workshop was given over to examining how we can address and prevent obstetric violence, and promote reproductive justice through a philosophical lens. It provided an opportunity to speak anew with familiar faces and also to meet new academics and practitioners working from innovative theoretical positions and perspectives.

Recognition of obstetric violence is still in its relatively early stages in the UK and Europe, despite both ground-breaking attempts in Latin America to legislate against this pervasive form of gender-based harm, and increasing recognition of the profound impact on birthing people’s mental health of ‘care’ that they experience as violent and violating. When the conjunction of birth care and violence remains contested and controversial, it is so important to be able to meet in person with colleagues tackling similar challenges in different legal, institutional and political contexts. As a PhD student it is always particularly valuable to receive constructive feedback and suggestions for how to develop my work further from those familiar with the context.
Across the day, we discussed the risks of coercion inherent in standardised care pathways & training, conceptualisations of self-sacrificial motherhood and questions of whose voice and knowledge ‘counts’ in accounts of harm and violence. We heard about new obstetric violence data from other jurisdictions and debated the roles of the law & advocacy in responding to gender-based violence. I sought feedback on the content and potential future use of my doctoral work on silencing of birthing people’s “no” in maternity care, and have come away with constructive suggestions to develop it further, new and wonderful contacts, and grand plans for advocacy-supporting work to sit alongside my PhD…watch this space!