Frances Gardner

Professor Frances Gardner is Professor of Child and Family Psychology in the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Wolfson College. She leads research on parenting interventions for reducing child behaviour problems and violence against children globally, with significant policy impact through WHO guidelines and ministerial conferences.

Her primary research investigates cultural adaptation, mechanisms of change, and differential effectiveness of parenting interventions across high, low, and middle-income countries. Secondary interests include longitudinal studies of risk/resilience in youth mental health among vulnerable populations in the USA, South Africa, and UK cohorts.

Professor Gardner has received notable recognition:

• Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship (2021)
• Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025

She currently supervises six doctoral students focusing on parenting interventions, child mental health, and violence prevention:

• Maria Ambrosio (DPhil, Wolfson College)
• Hal Cooper (DPhil Research Manager)
• Aya Fujita (DPhil)
• Tamsin Greene Barker (ESRC Scholar)
• Kathleen Murphy (SSHRC Fellow)
• Ana María Restrepo-Sáenz (MPhil)

Her research is funded through major projects including Parenting for Lifelong Health SUPER and RISE in Southeastern Europe.

As co-founder of the UK charity Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH), she leads global implementation of evidence-based parenting programmes. She serves on the Society for Prevention Research Board and previously chaired Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development (2012-2024).