Piloting the implementation and early impacts of a Researcher in Residence (RiR) model with organisations focused on improving equitable outcomes for children and families [in Australia]

Piloting the implementation and early impacts of a Researcher in Residence (RiR) model with organisations focused on improving equitable outcomes for children and families [in Australia] | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Piloting the implementation and early impacts of a Researcher in Residence (RiR) model with organisations focused on improving equitable outcomes for children and families [in Australia] Spoorthy Reddy, Suzy Honisett, Lauren Heery, Kym Buffett, Natalie White, and 12 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8826174/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The Researcher in Residence (RiR) model embeds researchers into ‘host’ organisations to mobilise and accelerate the translation of evidence into practice. Drawing on implementation science, this pilot aimed to evaluate the implementation outcomes of a RiR model with Australian organisations focused on improving equitable child development (0–12 years) and family wellbeing outcomes. Methods A qualitative evaluation was conducted through 12 semi-structured interviews with four RiRs and eight host organisation management and leadership staff. To assess implementation outcomes Proctor’s Implementation Outcomes Framework was used to assess the five most relevant domains (of the framework’s eight): fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and early impact. Results The RiR model was primarily implemented as intended and seen by RiRs and host organisations as feasible, acceptable and appropriate. Early impacts included shifting host organisational attitudes toward evidence use and influencing service design to be more purposeful and aligned with their strategic goals. The host organisations’ capability to work flexibly and relationally, the engagement of leadership staff and the host’s governance structures emerged as critical success factors. Challenges included an unclear understanding of the RiR model and how this was to be implemented, a lack of clarity for the RiR role and the host organisation’s organisational readiness. Conclusion The RiR model demonstrates promise as a feasible, acceptable and appropriate model for embedding research and evidence use within organisations to advance equitable child development and family wellbeing. Further refinement and implementation support for the RiR model are however required, including clearer articulation of the model, its processes, and the RiR role. Positioning the RiR as a senior role with strong managerial support may enhance organisational influence and cultural change. Assessing organisational readiness prior to engagement could optimise the timing and impact of the model. Additionally, the research institute should provide structured support and leverage the RiR as a bi-directional knowledge broker, building organisational research capacity while informing institute priorities, to impact. researcher in residence implementation science early childhood knowledge translation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplement1InterviewGuide.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers invited by journal 16 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 20 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 18 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 09 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8826174","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":607199180,"identity":"0d9e474d-e058-4b77-824f-19d2656d9c77","order_by":0,"name":"Spoorthy Reddy","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Centre for Community Child Health","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Spoorthy","middleName":"","lastName":"Reddy","suffix":""},{"id":607199181,"identity":"2a293634-71a2-4d5b-9e64-4b6b09a2949e","order_by":1,"name":"Suzy 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Systems","twitterHandle":"@HarpsJournal","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"researcher in residence, implementation science, early childhood, knowledge translation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8826174/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8826174/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Researcher in Residence (RiR) model embeds researchers into \u0026lsquo;host\u0026rsquo; organisations to mobilise and accelerate the translation of evidence into practice. Drawing on implementation science, this pilot aimed to evaluate the implementation outcomes of a RiR model with Australian organisations focused on improving equitable child development (0\u0026ndash;12 years) and family wellbeing outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA qualitative evaluation was conducted through 12 semi-structured interviews with four RiRs and eight host organisation management and leadership staff. To assess implementation outcomes Proctor\u0026rsquo;s Implementation Outcomes Framework was used to assess the five most relevant domains (of the framework\u0026rsquo;s eight): fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and early impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe RiR model was primarily implemented as intended and seen by RiRs and host organisations as feasible, acceptable and appropriate. Early impacts included shifting host organisational attitudes toward evidence use and influencing service design to be more purposeful and aligned with their strategic goals. The host organisations\u0026rsquo; capability to work flexibly and relationally, the engagement of leadership staff and the host\u0026rsquo;s governance structures emerged as critical success factors. Challenges included an unclear understanding of the RiR model and how this was to be implemented, a lack of clarity for the RiR role and the host organisation\u0026rsquo;s organisational readiness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe RiR model demonstrates promise as a feasible, acceptable and appropriate model for embedding research and evidence use within organisations to advance equitable child development and family wellbeing. Further refinement and implementation support for the RiR model are however required, including clearer articulation of the model, its processes, and the RiR role. Positioning the RiR as a senior role with strong managerial support may enhance organisational influence and cultural change. Assessing organisational readiness prior to engagement could optimise the timing and impact of the model. Additionally, the research institute should provide structured support and leverage the RiR as a bi-directional knowledge broker, building organisational research capacity while informing institute priorities, to impact.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Piloting the implementation and early impacts of a Researcher in Residence (RiR) model with organisations focused on improving equitable outcomes for children and families [in Australia]","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-18 17:03:11","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8826174/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-16T20:31:02+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-20T10:30:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-18T12:07:43+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Health Research Policy and Systems","date":"2026-02-09T05:30:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"health-research-policy-and-systems","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"hrps","sideBox":"Learn more about [Health Research Policy and Systems](http://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"12961","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/12961/3","title":"Health Research Policy and Systems","twitterHandle":"@HarpsJournal","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"8765bd3e-1b7b-451b-b4cf-bf81d69850c7","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 18th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-18T17:03:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-18 17:03:11","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8826174","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8826174","identity":"rs-8826174","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}