The School for Social Care Research
The School for Social Care Research (SSCR) is funded by the . The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø joined the School in 2019 and in 2024 successfully secured a second phase of funding. We will receive a share of £31 million in funding over the next 5 years (2024 – 2029). The £31 million is made up of £25 million for research and up to £6 million to build social care research capacity. The school will continue to complement existing NIHR funding streams for social care research.
The current SSCR is a new partnership between 7 centres in social care research in England: University of York (lead University), ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, University of Bristol, a collaboration between the Universities of Leeds and Leeds Beckett, the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Sheffield. SSCR is a key part of the broader adult social care research taking place within the School of Social Policy and Society.
This next round of funding will further support the School’s core vision to provide better evidence for what works in adult social care and how this can be applied across the whole country. This will support, mobilise and deliver impact for the benefit of the public as service users, carers and the workforce.
Researchers in the School of Social Policy and Society at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø have a strong track record of research into reducing, delaying and preventing the need for social care and exploring alternative types of care. Membership of SSCR provides an opportunity to build on existing strengths in research into wellbeing and prevention; funding care appropriately; designing effective care markets; and improving integration with health services.
Further information
Please contact Professor Catherine Needham c.needham.1@bham.ac.uk or Ann Evans sscr@contacts.bham.ac.uk
SSCR funded projects:
Completed projects
"When the money runs out": capital depletion and transition out of self-funded care. (2021 - 2024) Principal Investigator: Dr Philip Kinghorn, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Applied Research. Co-investigators: Dr Rebecca Ince, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, Dr Denise Tanner, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, Dr Kate Baxter, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Anne Hastings,
. (2021 - 2023) Principal Investigator: Dr Denise Tanner, Associate Professor of Social Work.
Combining Asset and Strengths Based Innovations in adult social care (CASBI) (2019-2022). Professor Jerry Tew, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (Principal Investigator), Professor Robin Miller, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (Co-investigator), Dr Sandhya Duggal, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (Co-investigator), Dr Phil Kinghorn, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (Co-investigator) and Clenton Farquharson MBE, Chair of the Think Local Act Personal partnership board (PPI lead)
Understanding the Contribution of Social Enterprise to the Social Care Sector: An Exploratory Study. (2017 - 2021) Principal Investigator: Dr Kelly Hall. Co-investigators: Dr Philip Kinghorn, Dr Chloe Alexander, Kelly Hayward.
(2021 - 2023) Principal Investigator: Kate Baxter (University of York). Co-investigators: Yvonne Birks (University of York), Lyndsay Lindley (University of York), Mark Wilberforce (University of York), Dr Louise Overton (Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø) Professor Dawn Dowding (Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, School of Health Science, University of Manchester), Dr Maxin Watkins (School of Social Policy, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø).
Understanding the Social Care Assessment Journey of Older LGBTQ+ People. Principal Investigator: Jason Schaub (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø). Co-investigators: Dr Dora Jandric (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Dr Stephen Hicks (University of Manchester), Dr Paul Willis (University of Bristol), Professor Ben Thomas (Opening Doors), Sallie Johnson (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Izzy Pullen (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Dorothy Gould (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Martin Wells (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Julian Hargreaves (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Cecilia Dubois (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Tracie Hammond (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø), Stephen Airey (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø).
Councillors and Care: Understanding and enhancing the role of councillors in shaping adult social care practice . (2021-2023) Principal Investigator: Catherine Needham (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø). Co-investigator: Catherine Mangan (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø).
Current projects
What’s going to happen to us next? What happens to people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people when they leave long-stay hospital settings, and what sorts of support helps people to stay out of hospital? (2025 – 2027) Principal Investigators: Jon Glasby and Robin Miller (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø)
ASSURE: understanding the impact of CQC assurance on local authorities (2025 - 2027) Principal Investigators: Catherine Needham and Emily Burn (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø).