UKRI Policy Fellowships are a competitive scheme funded by UKRI’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to embed researchers directly within policymaking teams across government. The aim is to enhance the use of high-quality evidence in policy decisions, and to build sustained bridges between academic research and public policy formulation. Fellows are given the opportunity to spend 18 months working within a policy host organisation, contributing rigorous research, data analysis, and strategic insight to address pressing national challenges.
Dr Rasciute’s fellowship is hosted by the Department for Education’s Mental Health and Wellbeing team, within the Schools and Pupil Analysis Division. This placement will see her working at the heart of government with policy officials to advance the evidence base on thriving among children and young people, a topic central to the government’s mission for every child to both “achieve and thrive”.
The role has been designed to be highly collaborative and analytically driven. Over the course of the fellowship’s main phase, Dr Rasciute will undertake secondary analysis of existing datasets, contribute to the development of policy-relevant research questions, and co-design outputs such as accessible evidence summaries, presentations for policymakers, and potentially peer-reviewed articles. By working closely with DfE analytical teams and across government departments, her research will directly inform decisions aiming to improve outcomes for children across education, wellbeing, and social participation.
This opportunity is also indicative of UKRI’s broader objective to cultivate researchers who can navigate both academic and policy landscapes - strengthening the translation of data, research, and analytical rigour into practical policy solutions.
Dr Rasciute’s research expertise is in health, wellbeing, and econometric analysis, with specific interest in children and young people mental health. Her work has explored the interplay between socioeconomic factors, health outcomes, and individual life trajectories, applying advanced statistical and econometric models to policy-relevant questions.
As an example her work that resonates with the aims of her fellowship is the policy briefing paper on mental health and school absences, which highlighted research that Dr Rasciute carried out in collaboration with the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This briefing highlights a growing concern in the UK: that persistent school absence has risen sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, with factors such as anxiety, mental health challenges, and disengagement from learning contributing to a cycle of absence and poor wellbeing. The analysis reveals that the probability of a child experiencing mental ill-health increases substantially as absenteeism rises and that this relationship goes both ways, with mental health difficulties in turn contributing to further absence.
The briefing underscores that while school itself can be a protective environment - offering structure, belonging, and peer support - there is a pressing need for research that can unpack what interventions and policies most effectively support thriving among children both inside and outside the classroom. It also highlights the importance of targeted support for vulnerable groups, such as children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), who may experience more significant impacts from both absence and mental health challenges.
Her new fellowship role positions Dr Rasciute to translate this deep academic insight into policy action, strengthening the evidence base around thriving in education and wellbeing. Given the centrality of mental health to children’s ability to attend school, form positive social relationships, and pursue educational success, her research will be pivotal in shaping future policy interventions aimed at boosting both academic attainment and emotional resilience.