PhD Candidate: See Them, Hear Them? Children’s Voice in Divorce Mediation (0.8 - 1.0 FTE)

Yearly, a large number of Dutch children is confronted with the divorce or separation of their parents. The subsequent reorganisation of the family involves notable decisions about housing and contact and care arrangements. Children have the legal right to be heard and express their views on all matters that concern them, but currently, this right is not yet sufficiently addressed in families, in the law, and in mediation practice. Strengthening children’s voice in decisions during and after divorce and separation can improve their adjustment, such as their self-esteem and their feelings of mastery and control. In addition to this, since children are the ‘experts’ on their own experience of post-divorce family life, including their perspectives may result in better informed decisions and more suitable outcomes for both children and parents. At the same time, though, there are potential risks associated with child participation in divorce situations.
This PhD project will focus on the current practice of procedures for child participation in divorce mediation and examine the relation of these procedures to child adjustment. Parents can turn to mediation when they want or need guidance in reaching agreements on the mandatory parenting plan, or when they experience difficulties in dealing with conflict in their coparental relationship after divorce. However, even though children are more often involved in divorce mediation since the implementation of the mandatory parenting plan, there is a lack of knowledge on the prevalence of child participation in mediation, nor are there any guidelines on how this should be done. This project will examine current child participation in divorce mediation, its effects in terms of parents’ post-divorce adjustment and mutual agreements, and in terms of children’s benefits and risks. This study will take a multi-method approach, will be interdisciplinary (social sciences and family law), and will include perspectives from children themselves, as well as from their parents and from mediators.
The PhD project will form an additional part of an extensive longitudinal and interdisciplinary project on child participation after divorce (“Hear Hear! Nurturing Children’s Self-Determination Through Participation in the Context of Parental Divorce ”). The PhD candidate will join the “Hear Hear!” research team and be responsible for the research project on children’s voice in divorce mediation. They will carry out activities like data collection, literature study, data analysis, writing scientific articles and presenting findings to scientists and professionals working with divorced families.

We are looking for you if you have an interest in research with both scientific and social relevance. You want to join our enthusiastic interdisciplinary team of young researchers, but also seek to have your own share in a separate study, in which you will go through the entire empirical cycle from further developing the research design to data collection, analysis, and reporting the results. Except for that, the ideal candidate fits to the following qualifications:

• a (research) master’s degree in psychology, pedagogics, or interdisciplinary social sciences;
• the motivation to cooperate in our research team as well as to collaborate with our youth panel and our professional expert panel;
• strong communication and social skills related to working in interdisciplinary and applied settings;
• excellent oral and written command of Dutch and English ;
• affinity with the topic of divorce or separation;
• experience in, or motivation towards, data collection among families;
• good organisational skills;
• the ability to do independent research and demonstrably excellent analytical, research, and scientific writing skills.

We offer:

• a position (0.8 - 1.0 FTE) for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon successful assessment;
• a full-time gross salary ranging from €2,770 to €3,539 in scale P of the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (CAO);
• 8% holiday bonus and 8.3% end-of-year bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, and flexible employment conditions based on the CAO.

In addition to the employment conditions from the CAO for Dutch Universities, Utrecht University has a number of its own arrangements. These include agreements on professional development , leave arrangements, sports and cultural schemes and you get discounts on software and other IT products. We also give you the opportunity to expand your terms of employment through the Employment Conditions Selection Model. This is how we encourage you to grow. For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University .

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes . Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow .
The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues. The faculty is located at Utrecht Science Park near the historical city centre of Utrecht.

For more information about this position, please contact Inge van der Valk at [email protected] .

As Utrecht University, we want to be a home for everyone. We value staff with diverse backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including cultural, religious or ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. We strive to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can flourish and contribute.
To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button.
The first round of interviews takes place in week 5 or 6.
An assessment is part of the procedure.
The preferred start date is no later than 1 May 2024.