The results of a study undertaken by the WM ADASS Research Champions, as part of the programme Building a research culture for adult social care in the West Midlands have been released and is available for download from our Resources section.
The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of the current level of research knowledge and engagement by adult social care practitioners working for local authorities across the West Midlands.
The research champions sought to map perceptions of skillset, support and involvement with research to identify opportunities for building a research culture across the region and:
- identify the barriers and enablers to adult social care practitioners engaging in research activity
- map the current engagement in research across the region
- develop an understanding of research engagement of adult social care staff
The report discusses the importance of research in social care, the challenges faced by practitioners in engaging with research, and the need for a research-minded workforce.
It highlights the historical context of social care research, the debates around the relationship between research and practice, and the various types of knowledge in social work and social care.
The review also examines barriers and enablers to research-mindedness, such as time constraints, lack of research culture and skills and organisational factors.
Recommendations include improving social research methods teaching, fostering collaboration between practitioners and researchers and making research more accessible and applicable to practice.
The review emphasises that a strong research culture is essential for providing good adult social care and for the professional identity of the sector.