Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules in the UK: Implications for Children's and Parents' Health

Evening, night, and weekend work (hereafter referred to as nonstandard work) are common in the 24/7 economy, but does this create new opportunities or new pressures for combining work with family life? In the UK, nearly 25% of employed mothers and 35% of employed fathers have nonstandard schedules. A growing body of research has pointed to the adverse impact of these schedules on child and parental health. Given that work-related stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 11.7 million working days lost in the UK in 2015-16, we need to gather more evidence on the implications of parents' nonstandard work schedules on parents' health, family life, and children's health. This ground-breaking research is the first in the UK to make these significant contributions:
-An examination of the social and demographic profiles of mothers and fathers working nonstandard schedules
-Provide new evidence on the immediate and longitudinal consequences of parental nonstandard work schedules on children's health and development, family life, and parental mental and overall health
-An investigation of family characteristics that may explain the links between nonstandard work and children's and parents' health, thereby identifying potential policy levers
The vast majority of scholarship on nonstandard shifts has been done in the US context, arguably a country with the most limited family and childcare policies of any industrialized country. This proposed research program will fill the gaps by focusing on the UK context to investigate the implications of parental nonstandard employment on children's and parents' health. The project will profile the characteristics of mothers and fathers who work nonstandard work schedules, and examine different markers of health and development for children, and a range of markers of health and family life for parents. Factors in the family environment will be considered to investigate the channels through which nonstandard work schedules influence children and parents. Furthermore, the statistical techniques and data source will ascertain whether nonstandard work schedules actually cause differences in health between parents who work such schedules and parents who work 9-5 schedules. This type of research will be made possible by using rich, longitudinal data in the UK: the Millennium Cohort Study. This is an ideal dataset because it contains detailed information on family circumstances, parenting, and economic resources.
The applicant will disseminate findings to a wide range of beneficiaries. Dissemination of the research via peer-reviewed publications in high impact journals and international conferences will be key. Opportunities to disseminate work through seminars will be pursued. In addition to an academic audience, the research will benefit employers, family and employment policy makers, parents, teachers, social workers, child care providers and others who seek to contribute to the continuing policy debate on the effects of parental employment on children's and parents' health. The research will have impact via a number of mechanisms: Collaborating with policy makers, charities, and think tanks, such as National Children's Bureau, DWP, PHE, Working Families, Women's Business Council, and The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Disseminate research findings and promote impact related activities through online platforms, such as WorkFlex blog at Working Families, Mumsnet, ToUChstone blog (operated by TUC), and The Conversation; Deliver evidence through podcasts and audio slide shows to forums that increase awareness of policy issues, such as The Lancet UK Policy Matters, the National Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Network, and platforms, such as Workingmums and The Work Foundation blog; share findings with campaigners, policy experts, and lobbyists through submissions to Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Parliamentary special advisors and research assistants.

The proposed research program, "Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules in the UK: Implications for Children's and Parents' Health" will be of great interest to a wide range of users spanning many sectors. The goal of this study is to successfully exchange knowledge and evidence on the influence of nonstandard shifts on children's health and development and parents' health with a wide range of individuals and groups-employers, unions, parents, schools, and policy makers. The proposed impact and communication activities will equip individuals in the UK and globally with information they need to strengthen the case for improving work conditions and for family friendly workplace reform, alongside ensuring that children and parents have optimal physical and mental health to participate fully in the workplace and society.

This work will appeal to a wide audience in the UK and internationally. Academic researchers within the broad fields of social science and population health, alongside disciplines of economics, child development, and sociology will benefit greatly from the evidence and methodological insights of the findings. Open-access peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and invited seminars will expose the research to a multidisciplinary audience of researchers who use population-level survey data.

The project will engage voluntary, private, public and political stakeholders to increase and influence evidence based public policy making. Knowledge transfer and exchange with users will ensure co-production of research findings that are a benefit to organizations' impact on the health of the working age population, children and families, and wider society. These beneficiaries are:

-Government: Department of Health; The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Public Health England; Department for Work and Pensions; Local government. The findings on the social and health consequences of nonstandard shifts could be used to promote and strengthen family policies.
-Charities and advocacy groups: National Children's Bureau; Child Poverty Action Group; The Work Foundation; Working Families; Workingmums.co.uk; Working with Men; Family and Parenting Institute; Fatherhood Institute. Project findings will benefit these groups in their engagement with employers and parents in discussions regarding the influence of nonstandard shifts on parents, children, and family life.
-Educators and health care professionals: Teachers; social workers; nurses; doctors; childcare providers. Individuals who are at the frontline of supporting parents, children, and families who may be affected by nonstandard hours will benefit from the project findings so that interventions and services can support working families.
-Businesses and unions: Findings on the positive or negative effects of nonstandard shifts will be of interest to employers and union members such that workplace reforms and supportive working environments are provided to ensure the care of all workers and their families.
-Public and media: Schools; parents; children; communities; journalists; broadcasters; editors; media outlets. High quality media coverage with trusted outlets will translate directly to bringing the findings to the attention of the general public and to individuals who want to and are engaged in the debate on supporting working families and supporting social inclusion.