Social care
An effective health service is reliant on an effective social care system, and it is therefore vital that we develop a robust research base for social care, to ensure that local authorities (LAs) and third sector organisations provide the most effective services within a wider integrated system of health and social care.
Our research projects
Professor Lee-Ann Fenge
Social Care lead
Growing social care research capacity
Our aim at ARC Wessex is to further develop research capacity in social care in Wessex. Three researchers have been funded to build on insights gained from our recently launched pilot programme and look at how unpaid carers could be better supported to engage in research development activities.
The research team is led by Prof Lee-Ann Fenge and includes Post-Doctoral Researcher Dr Andy Pulman who focuses on social care research, developing opportunities for building research engagement and capacity across HEIs and the social care sector in Wessex and Researcher in Residence Dr Natalie Djohari from the voluntary sector to facilitate models for evidence informed practice.
Research projects are at an early stage but will include issues like unpaid carers and social care workforce capacity. Funding is also available to support development of Research Champions to work with the researchers and to support social care internship awards.
Some of our previous work
ARC Wessex and CRN Wessex pulled together to expand research into social care. Four researchers were funded to work with local councils in Dorset, Portsmouth, Southampton and Hampshire.
Senior Research Fellow Doctor Michelle Myall was named researcher-in-residence at Southampton City Council. Amy Drahota worked with Portsmouth City Council, Andy Pulman with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Council and Dorset Council and David Raper with Hampshire County Council. The researchers came from the Universities in Southampton, Bournemouth, Winchester and Portsmouth.
Research projects included issues like domestic abuse and social care workforce capacity. Funding also supported development of Research Champions within councils to work with the four research leads.
The social care research champions were existing employees from the councils concerned. The specific focus of the role differed by the individual council and its needs. There was opportunity for learning for all involved, to understand more about what support is needed to enable growth in social care research.
Publications from this work:
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Pulman, A. and Fenge, L.A. 2024. The Evolving Workplace: The Possible Impacts of Hybrid Working and Hotdesking on Retention of Social Workers. The British Journal of Social Work. Volume 54, Issue 8. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcae120
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Pulman, A., Fenge, L.A., Mazarura, P. and Sanis, N. 2024. Struggling with studying and earning – realities of the UK's cost-of-living crisis on students on social work programmes. Research in Post-Compulsory Education (co-writing with research champions Trsih and Neil) https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2024.2403825
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Pulman, A., Sloan, H. and Fenge, L.A. 2024 (in press). Advocacy in Practice: Who Advocates for the Advocates? Practice - Social Work in Action. (co-writing with PPIE strategy group representative Helen) https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2024.2410851
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Pulman, A. and Fenge, L.A., 2024. Impacts of Workplace Stress on the Retention of Social Workers: A Qualitative Study. Practice - Social Work in Action. https://doi.org/10.1080/09503153.2024.2429085
Our Post-Doctoral Fellows
Dr Andy Pulman
Bournemouth University
Dr Natalie Djohari
Bournemouth University
Dr Amy Drahota
University of Portsmouth
Dr Michelle Myall
University of Southampton
Dr Rachel Harrison
University of Winchester
As part of the ongoing Social Care projects established throughout Wessex, a lunch-time seminar series will be taking place each month.
Upcoming Events - please take a look at our events page for details:
March 27, 2025, 12:00 Dr Michelle Myall and Dr Susi Lund – “Things can’t change if no one is working with the perpetrator”: evaluation of the Domestic Abuse Male Engagement Worker Project
April 17, 2025, 12:00 Dr Anastasia Lungu-Mulenga - Working with seldom heard communities to address health inequalities
May 15, 2025, 12:00 Dr Rachel Harrison - Empowering Voices: How Research Can Enhance Lives for People with Learning Disabilities
June 19, 2025, 12:00 Helen Sloan - Person centred approaches, advocacy and community engagement in research and social care
July 17, 2025, 12:00 Dr Andy Pulman - Developing carer research capacity in Wessex
September 18, 2025, 12:00 Dr Natalie Djohari - Capacity Building in Career Research
If you missed an online seminar see below for the recordings
Social Care Lunchtime Seminars
Social Care Lunchtime Seminars
Social Care lunchtime seminar #15 Recruitment and retention on Adult Social Care
Social Care lunchtime seminar #14
Social Care lunchtime seminar #13_Internships
Social Care lunchtime Seminar 19 9 25 - Rachel Harrison
Seminar 2 - Andy Pullman
Download PowerPoints