Be part of the conversation shaping the future of child health research in Greater Manchester and beyond.

The Manchester Child Health Research Institute has been established to bring together Greater Manchester's strengths in child health research to improve the health of babies, children and young people.

Made possible through significant investment from Manchester Foundation Trust Charity, the Institute represents an ambitious commitment to building the research capacity, capability and partnerships needed to transform child health through research across Greater Manchester and beyond.

Our ambition is built on an established foundation of world-leading clinical research, clinical trials and innovation. At the same time, we recognise that the challenges facing children and young people's health and well-being increasingly require collaboration across disciplines, organisations and communities.

Against the backdrop of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's 2026 State of Child Health report and wider national priorities for child health and research, this engagement event will bring together staff, researchers and partners from across Greater Manchester to introduce the Manchester Child Health Research Institute, share its ambitions, and begin building the partnerships that will help transform the future of child health research across Greater Manchester.

The day will be anchored by a keynote address from Professor Steve Turner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, who will explore the national child health landscape and the opportunities for research to improve outcomes for babies, children and young people in his keynote, Our Children, Our Future: The Landscape of UK Child Health.

Throughout the day, participants will hear from national, regional and local leaders in child health, research and innovation, alongside children and young people sharing their experiences. They will also be invited to share their views on where research could have the greatest impact, the strengths and capabilities Greater Manchester should build on, and what the Manchester Child Health Research Institute could make possible.

Together, these contributions will inform discussion throughout the day around one central question: How can research improve the lives of children and young people in Greater Manchester and beyond over the next decade?

The event is open to everyone with an interest in improving child health through research, including clinicians, researchers, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, academics, research delivery staff, service managers, and partners from across Greater Manchester and beyond. As the Institute prepares for its formal launch, this engagement event provides an opportunity to hear from national and regional leaders, connect with colleagues across the child health research community, contribute to discussions and help shape the Institute's future direction and collaborative ambitions.

Across the day, participants will:

• Understand the challenge: by exploring the national child health landscape and the opportunities for research to improve outcomes.

• Listen to children and young people: by hearing directly from children and young people with lived experience about what matters to them, the challenges they face and what they want researchers to understand, including how research can better respond to health inequalities.

• Explore what it takes to build a world-leading child health research system: by considering national perspectives on research leadership before examining how Greater Manchester can build on its strengths through collaboration, partnerships and innovation.

• Help shape the future: by sharing perspectives on where research could make the greatest difference, the strengths and capabilities Greater Manchester should build on, and what the Manchester Child Health Research Institute could enable, facilitate or provide.

The Manchester Child Health Research Institute warmly welcomes colleagues and partners from across Greater Manchester and beyond to join this engagement event.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the event, please email mchri@mft.nhs.uk.

Description supplied by the event organiser.