Our research

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We publish high quality academic work in the literatures of social care, social work, education, social policy, public administration, psychology and other disciplines. What makes our academic work achieve change in the world is its relevance to policy and practice, addressing concerns or raising issues important to those in the field, with engaged audiences and identified pathways to impact. First and foremost this work must be of a high academic standard built on strong, inter-disciplinary theory and methods.

Our research

Our primary concern is to contribute work that helps improve the impact of both policy and practice on educational outcomes. We value descriptive as well as causal evidence, including voice and measurement as means to ensure there is better understanding of how people and institutions interact.

The focus of our research is on three primary topics: Practice in Education, Practice in Children’s Social Care and Policy and System Change.

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Practice in Education

Our work will help ensure that educational institutions are places where all children feel safe and included and where children supported by children’s social care have good experiences of learning, relationships and development. We study all institutions and phases of education in particular early learning, schools, alternative provision, Further and Higher Education.

Research on Relational Practice

Practice in Children’s Social Care

Our work will help those working and living with children supported by social care, (in particular social workers, foster carers, adoptive parents and kinship carers) to sustain stable homes and relationships for children, and support children in their education, learning, wider development and well-being.

Policy and System Change

The Centre will lead research on how the care system learns and improves, in particular on how children’s social care uses information and data to support improvement in the experiences and outcomes of children and families. This knowledge will ensure that our policy and practice advice is credible, informed and realistic. The Centre will use our research to support policy makers to test improvements to policy and their impact on practice.