What is adult social care?
The SSCR uses a broad and inclusive description of adult social care, encompassing the wide range of care and support that is available to and used by adults; the diversity of services and service providers of adult social care; and care and support provided through informal care, self care and self-funded care.
I am interested in a particular research topic. How do I find out if this is within SSCR's scope?
Contact Mike Clark (m.c.clark@lse.ac.uk) in the first instance to discuss.
Will the SSCR fund research on children?
The School has been set up to carry out research on adult social care practice. However, there might be merit in examining preventive strategies in childhood or adolescence if there are potential benefits in adulthood. We would also be interested in studies that examine the process and outcomes of transitions from child to adult services.
Can the SSCR fund research training courses or programmes?
No, sadly the SSCR cannot do this. If you are employed by a local authority, contact the relevant training department for tailored address, or get in touch with your local university. Other options include courses run by the Open University.
How do I send the SSCR a research idea?
The SSCR would welcome any research ideas as part of the School's ongoing consultation for research ideas. Please use our online research suggestions form at LSE Health and Social Care, email us at sscr@lse.ac.uk or call us on 020 7955 6528.
What happens to the ideas and research questions shared with the School? If it is seen to be worth following up, how will the proposer be involved/commissioned to do the research?
The SSCR is keen to receive suggestions for research that we might commission. We will endeavour to learn from all suggestions received and develop our research agenda through a better understanding of the types and themes of issues and ideas that are suggested to us.
Except under very unusual circumstances, the SSCR is not able to directly commission research from the proposer without an external/open Call for Proposals. Where an individual has a specific question they would like to research themselves, they can speak to Dr Gill Hastings to see if the question is within the scope of SSCR's activities and then submit their research question as a proposal once an SSCR Call for Proposals is issued.
Is the school doing any work on methods used in social care research?
Yes, the School is now commissioning a series of reviews on methods. These will be available on the website for free download in spring 2010.
How are people who use services, carers, practitioners involved in the SSCR's activities?
A key aim within the SSCR is to involve people who use services, carers, practitioners, policy makers and relevant others in all the stages of research. The SSCR therefore aims to ensure the active, informed engagement of each of these groups in all of its activities. The SSCR will conduct and commission research on adult social care practice in England. One of its principles is to ensure that the research proposals it receives and projects that it funds demonstrate evidence of meaningful user, carer and practitioner involvement.
To assist with this, we have set up a User, Carer, Practitioner Reference Group (UCPRG) to hear and learn from the experiences, expectations and aspirations of people's real world experience of adult social care. The Group will advise the School's Executive on its research and related activities. This advisory role will include identifying and shaping research questions, reviewing proposals, reviewing reports, and looking at the best ways of communicating research findings.
I am a service user. How can I contribute to the SSCR's activities?
The School is involving service users in a number of ways, and we would be delighted to have more input. Some people who use services are helping us with research ideas, based on their own and others' experiences of using services. We have service users on our User, Carer, Practitioner Reference Group, who help us in setting our research agenda, commenting on research ideas, reviewing research proposals and reports, and generally feeding in ideas.
And we are keen to talk to people with experience of using services who may be willing to act as reviewers of the proposals that we receive and the reports that are written once the work has been completed. Please note that many research groups at universities and elsewhere have links with service users. In mid 2010 the School will be publishing a review of user led research methods that will be publicised on this site when it is available.
Does the SSCR offer internships?
The SSCR does not itself offer internships, but can pass any offers/requests to core participating universities. Please email sscr@lse.ac.uk.
Are there any international visiting professor program, Internship or fellowship programmes?
Unfortunately, the SSCR does not have such programmes itself. However, it is possible the units/research groups that form the Executive members of the SSCR may be able to offer such opportunities, depending on the research interests of their staff. An approach should therefore be made directly to one or more of the Executive members. Please note that the SSCR members' expertise is in adult social care.
The National Institute for Health Research may have other opportunities available. Please see www.nihr.ac.uk.
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