New journal for adult social care research

A new international open access journal for social care research has launched, supported by NIHR SSCR. 

The international, peer-reviewed Journal of Long-Term Care (JLTC) has been established to advance the research evidence base for all aspects of long-term care for adults.

The open access journal has been commissioned from the International Long-term Care Policy Network (ILPN) at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The NIHR SSCR supports the principle of open access to the outputs of research, which can offer both social and economic benefits as well as aid the development of new research and stimulating wider economic growth.

Professor Martin Knapp, Director of NIHR SSCR, said:

“It is very exciting to see this new journal emerging. The aim is not only to get high-quality research evidence on adult social care out into the public domain, but to do so in a way that puts no restrictions at all on access.”

Dr Jose-Luis Fernandez, Executive Editor of the Journal, added:

“The journal fills an important gap in the academic market, and will provide a much-needed home for the rapidly growing volume of high-quality long-term care research. The evidence published in JLTC will allow us to share robust evidence about key aspects of long-term care policy and practice, research methods and education, and thus help maximise its potential for impact.”

The first articles in JLTC include findings from three NIHR-funded studies – one on the economics of unpaid caring, another on whether age matters in the social care workforce, and the third on priorities for long-term care resource allocation in England.

Submissions to JLTC are currently free, and further details can be found on the JLTC website. All articles are published online as open access on the journal’s website to encourage maximum impact for all work.