Dr Paul Watson

Dr Watson leads research through a Public Health lens on military-connected children and young people, emotional health and well-being. Dr Watson is currently leading two national projects focusing on the Social Determinants of Health (SDH), examining how factors such as housing, community, and education impact well-being.; and exploring Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs), and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), investigating adversity, resilience, and protective factors.

His expertise in narrative methodologies and co-production ensures military children's voices shape policies and support systems, improving outcomes for military families. In 2022, he completed his PhD, The Experiences of Being a Young Carer of a Veteran Parent with PTSD: A Narrative Inquiry, further deepening his understanding of military-connected youth. Through his work, Dr Watson continues to drive policy and practice improvements to better support military families and their well-being.

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• A scoping review of Adverse, Benevolent, and Positive Childhood Experiences in military-connected children, Mason, C., Acton, F., Camara, C., Watson, P. 22 Jul 2026, In: PLOS Mental Health
• Improving Services for Military-Connected Children and Young People: Insights from the Ministry of Defence Youth Voice Survey, Watson, P., Eagles, T. 9 Apr 2026
• Our Health, Our Community, Our Voice: Co-Designing Social Determinants of Health With, and For UK Military-Connected Children and Young People: A Summary Report from a Feasibility Study, Watson, P., Gribble, R., Keeling, M., Eagles, T., Matthews Smith, G., Acton, F., Senior, E., Wakefield, R. 1 Feb 2026
• Parenting Stress, Family Resilience, and Emotional Support Among US Military Families, Soto, M., Crouch, E., Watson, P., Odahowski, C., Boswell, E., Brown, M. 1 Mar 2026, In: Maternal and Child Health Journal
• Applying a Public Health Lens to Co-production with the Military Connected Community, Watson, P., Senior, E., Hyde, R., Telford, M. 10 Nov 2025, Public Involvement and Community Engagement in Applied Health and Social Care Research , Leeds, Emerald Publishing
• Being a military child in Denmark: Young people’s experiences of living with a parent with PTSD, Watson, P., Osborne, A. 8 Jan 2025, In: PLoS Mental Health
• Challenges to School Success Among Children in U.S. Military Families, Soto, M., Crouch, E., Odahowski, C., Boswell, E., Brown, M., Watson, P. 30 Jun 2025, In: Military Medicine
• Community asset mapping: An ethical, strength-based approach to co-production and inclusion, Hall, K., Shrimpton, L., Alderson, H., Lhussier, M., McGovern, R., Sattar, Z., Watson, P., McGovern, W. 10 Nov 2025, Public Involvement and Community Engagement in Applied Health and Social Care Research, Leeds, Emerald
• Community Asset Mapping: Promoting Inclusion and Equity and Countering Stigma in Applied Substance Use Research, McGovern, W., Shrimpton, L., Alderson, H., Hall, K., Lhussier, M., Sattar, Z., Watson, P., McGovern, R. 28 Sep 2025, In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Letting stories breathe: Identifying adverse and benevolent childhood experiences in the stories of Military-Connected Children and Young People, Watson, P., Camara, C., Cairns, R., Bramwell, S., Soto, M., Crouch, E. 3 Dec 2025, In: PLOS Global Public Health

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Substance Misuse Support for Military Veterans in Newcastle, Graham, P. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), Newcastle City Council, 02/09/24 - 31/03/25, £25,000.00
• 'Military Children' Promote, Protect, Prevent, Watson, P. (Principal Investigator), Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, 01/09/24 - 31/08/25, £154,899.00
• Relationships among Adverse Childhood Experiences, Benevolent and Positive Childhood Experiences of Military Connected Children and Young People., Watson, P. (Principal Investigator), Forces Children’s Trust, 01/09/24 - 28/02/26, £35,487.00
• Developing the OiTM dissemination workshop, Senior, E. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), The Baton, 01/04/24 - 31/03/25, £18,000.00
• Developing a Common Assessment Tool, Watson, P. (Principal Investigator), The Royal Marines Charity, 01/01/24 - 31/12/24, £42,938.00
• Exploring Non-clinical Drug and Alcohol harm and service access experiences of British South Asian youth, Sattar, Z. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), Newcastle City Council, 01/04/23 - 31/03/24, £24,211.00
• Community Asset Mapping the Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Services, Organisations and Recovery Groups in the Newcastle Area, McGovern, W. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), Newcastle City Council, 01/02/23 - 31/01/24, £49,971.00
• Evaluation of the Families SPOC, McGill, G. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), NHS England, 01/12/22 - 30/11/23, £8,000.00
• Veteran suicide: Understand-Identify-Prevent, Kiernan, M. (Principal Investigator), Watson, P. (Co Investigator), Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, 01/07/21 - 30/06/23, £205,405.00
• Wellbeing and life quality of military connected families, Watson, P. (Principal Investigator), Stot Soldater & Parorende, 01/08/20 - 31/03/24, £47,386.00

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Oral presentation: Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research 2026 2026
• Publication Peer-review: Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research 2026 (Event) 2026
• Invited talk: Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust Away Day 2026
• Membership of network: TORCH Lab (External organisation) 2026
• Oral presentation: Promote, Protect, Prevent 2026
• Membership of committee: Elizabeth Dole Foundation (External organisation) 2026
• Membership of committee: Forces in Mind Trust (External organisation) 2026
• Membership of committee: Defence Kidz (External organisation) 2026
• Participating in a conference, workshop, ...: SCiP Alliance Conference - Whole Person Whole Journey 2025 2025
• Invited talk: Young Carers: A Global View 2025

• Connor Malcolm Exploring the role of social ties for well-being in adolescent children from serving military families Start Date: 01/03/2024
• Nerius Shah Start Date: 01/10/2026
• Marie Millican Using creative methods to improve engagement to public health services with looked after children and young people (LACYP) in the North East. Start Date: 22/09/2026

• Philosophy PhD June 22 2022
• Nursing BSc (Hons) September 09 2013
• PgDip Public Health SCPHN - School Nurse 2013

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Department of Health: Military families pathway for school nursing and health visitors.
• Military Network Radio: Paul Watson discusses military children and young people whose parents have PTSD.
• Understanding the emotional health and well-being children and young people from military families.
• The Spotlight on Sexual Health and Education for Military, Veterans and Families - with Professor David Evans
• Parliament Adjournment: Paul Watson and Military children, young people and young carers.