I am a researcher or student

SSCR members (inc. career development award holders)

As members of the School for Social Care Research (SSCR), you are central to our mission to deliver excellent, inclusive, and practice-relevant research.

Over the next phase of the School (2024-2029), we call on you to deepen your engagement with policy, practice, and public partners, co-producing impactful research that addresses the evolving needs of adult social care. Strengthen our shared commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion by embedding these principles in all areas of your work.

Together, we can expand our collective reach, build research capacity, and ensure our work leads to meaningful change for people, communities and services across England.

• Key principles

  Here are the key principles underpinning the work of the School for Social Care Research:

  1. Research Excellence
     Commitment to commissioning and delivering high-quality, peer-reviewed research that meets the needs of adult social care at local, national, and—where appropriate—international levels.
  2. Policy, Practice, and Public Partnerships
     Collaborative working with stakeholders across the social care system, including Local Authorities, care providers, national organisations, and community groups, to ensure research is relevant, impactful, and grounded in real-world priorities.
  3. Co-Production
     Involving public, practice, and policy partners throughout the research process—from priority setting and design to implementation and dissemination—to produce research that reflects lived experience and practical insight.
  4. Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I)
     Ongoing commitment to embedding ED&I in all aspects of the School’s work, from participation to leadership, to ensure research is accessible, inclusive, and representative.
  5. Capacity Building
     Supporting the development of research skills and infrastructure across social care, including through training, internships, fellowships, and partnerships with under-served regions and sectors.
  6. Knowledge Exchange and Impact
     Creating clear pathways for research to inform and improve policy and practice through accessible dissemination, strategic partnerships, and responsive engagement strategies.
  7. Learning and Continuous Improvement
     A reflective approach that includes evaluating the School’s practices and partnerships, seeking stakeholder feedback, and adapting strategies to remain effective and responsive.

   

Collaboration with non-SSCR members

The School is committed to broadening collaboration beyond its membership to strengthen social care research. The fourth phase of the School brings a strategic shift from direct commissioning with external members to inclusive, capacity-building engagement across the broader research community.

• Events, webinars and seminars

  The School aims to enhance external participation by opening up scientific meetings, seminars, and training to non-members.

  For information about upcoming SSCR events, please visit the news and events page.

• Supporting joint collaborations

  Collaborations between member and non-member institutions will be actively facilitated.

  If you are a researcher outside of the SSCR membership who is interested in social care research, please contact us to discuss you areas of interest and we will seek to broker connections.

  New funding initiatives will encourage interdisciplinary and innovative approaches to social care research.

• Training and career development

  Academic colleagues outside of the SSCR membership are able to access development awards through the School. 

  Training and internship opportunities will be extended to a wider geographic and academic audience.

  Find out more about our career development opportunities