Eight new awards to build research capacity in social care

NIHR SSCR has funded a further round of awards to support the School’s commitment to build research capacity in adult social care in England. Funding of £208,000 will support 8 individuals with tailored development and training activities.

The School’s endeavours are supported by the Department of Health and Social Care and NIHR Academy’s ongoing efforts in this area.

Professor Catherine Robinson, NIHR SSCR Deputy Director and Capacity-building Lead, said:

The School’s capacity building programme is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to build and strengthen capacity for using and doing research in adult social care. We have funded over 80 awards since 2019, working with the adult social care sector, the NIHR Academy and other NIHR colleagues. I am delighted to welcome these new award holders as they develop their research careers. Their NIHR SSCR awards will provide them with opportunities to lead and engage in research studies, gain training in research skills and methods, and gain research qualifications. I look forward to seeing their progress.

Individual Research Career Development Awards have been awarded to:

• Fatima Bibi (University of Manchester and Turning Point) to undertake a Masters in research and develop research skills.
• William Byrd (London School of Economics and Political Science) to consolidate and develop research skills in preparation of a doctoral application.
• Annalisa Casarin (University of Hertfordshire) focusing on applying a system approach to explore social care services to support people with complex needs as part of preparation for a doctoral fellowship application.
• Iria Cunha (Springfield Healthcare) to develop research capacity and capability as a social care researcher and practitioner focusing on research with and for people living with dementia in care homes.
• Tiffeny James (King’s College London) to develop skills and research proposals around inequalities and inequities in access to social care services.
• Leigh Rooney (Newcastle University) to develop research proposals examining the innovation of single-handed care.
• Finlay Turner-Berry (National Care Forum) to develop research skills and carry out independent research in adult social care as a social care researcher and practitioner.
• Sophie Wilson (Birmingham Voluntary Service Council) for individual research exploring the role of lived experience in affecting systems change for people facing multiple disadvantage.

Further details about these awards will be available shortly.

A further NIHR SSCR call for applications for Individual Career Development Awards closes on 25 January 2023.

View further details on the School’s capacity-building activities.