Career Development Awardee
caroline.volles-loos@shropshire.gov.uk
I am a data analyst and have worked at Shropshire Council since 2023. Despite my degree in Physics completed in 2021, my primary area of work since then has been in adult social care, supporting local authorities in making informed decisions by working closely with WM-ADASS and developing national data tools. I am also working in collaboration with the University of Birmingham to build and improve Adult Social Care data capabilities.
Caroline’s research interests include developing strategic analytic capabilities for adult social care within local authorities by using predictive modelling, machine learning and other evidence-based approaches to improve service delivery and outcomes for service users.
Read about Caroline’s Career Development Award plans
Developing Data-Science Skills for Inclusive, Evidence-Based Care
This award will help me grow as a researcher in adult social care by building both my technical skills
and my understanding of people’s lived experiences. It will give me the right mix of training and
practical experience so I can move from workplace analysis to a research-focussed approach and
apply for doctoral study in the future. My goal for future research is to explore how social care
information can be used to improve service delivery, identify and address inequalities, and improve
outcomes for service users.
I will take short courses on research ethics, equality, diversity, and public involvement. These will
ensure my work is fair, inclusive, and shaped by the voices of people who use and deliver care services.
I will be part of the Care Data Spaces team project which will be run by the University of
Birmingham and West Midlands ADASS. This project brings together researchers, practitioners,
and people with lived experience to make social care information more accessible and useful. My
role will involve creating tools, reports, and resources, which will let me put my new skills into
practice.
The award will help me to develop my contacts. I’ll attend national conferences and join
professional groups to connect with other researchers, practitioners, policymakers and people with
lived experience.
By the end of the award, I will have the skills, experience, and contacts needed to carry out high-
quality, ethical, and inclusive research that can improve adult social care.
