The LEGO Foundation awards the University of Oxford £11m research grant

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TBM Team

The University of Oxford has been awarded a huge grant by The LEGO Foundation, to the tune of some £11 million.

The research grant is for international research looking into how best to develop and provide entirely cost-free, 'evidence-based, playful parenting support' to parents and guardians all over the world.

The project will look to work with existing schemes being run globally by governments, charities, research bodies and NGOs. Its purpose is two-fold: improve child learning and development and help prevent child abuse wherever possible.

Senior research and teaching fellow at Oxford’s Department of Social Policy & Intervention, Dr. Lachman, had this to say on the grant: “We are delighted to be embarking on this playful learning journey with the LEGO Foundation and our partners. This ambitious research initiative aims to have a fundamental impact on child learning and violence prevention through the scale-up of evidence-based playful parenting programmes in the Global South."

“As we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and caregivers across the world urgently need effective parenting support that is relevant to their lives and responsive to the challenges they experience. The Global Parenting Initiative will provide this.”

Sarah Bouchie is the chief impact officer at the LEGO Foundation and says this about the project: “With this partnership, we are supporting playful learning to become a priority for every child — sustained through local centres that promote research, learning, and practice. Most important to this work is the opportunity for children all over the world to engage in playful experiences that support a lifelong love of learning.”

The LEGO Foundation has been around since 1986 and aims to inspire children through play. The link-up could provide some interesting new insights into how youngsters develop.

TBM Team