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Disabled people are under-represented and can experience discrimination in the workplace in the UK and globally. The employment of a Workplace Personal Assistant (WPA) is an option for disabled people who require assistance to undertake their job role. The WPA role is designed to increase the accessibility of the workplace via personalised and self-directed assistance, yet is little known or understood. The dynamics of these assistance relationships are explored from analysis of interviews with disabled people, their WPAs and representatives of the organisations in which they work. Disabled people who use a WPA undertake two jobs in one day - their substantive role and the management of their WPA. Understanding these dual roles, and recognising the subtle skills required and additional labour undertaken, can help to challenge the ableist assumptions which shape the workplace and help open up the workplace for disabled people who require a WPA.

The UK Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia 2020 includes a target for more research to be conducted in care homes, yet research in care homes can be complex, as they are both homes and workplaces.\ud We reflect on our experiences as researchers on a mixed methods study in six care homes over a year. We include the experiences of care home residents, their family and friends, and members of staff.\ud Care home staff turnover was high, funding was constrained and priorities often differed from those of the researchers. Negotiating ongoing access and data collection was therefore challenging at times. Most residents did not mind taking part, but those who preferred not to felt able to decline. Private space was limited. \ud Research in care homes needs to be adequately planned and resourced, including funding for staff time, if staff, residents and visitors are to participate in a meaningful way.

This paper, presented at the SPA annual conference in 2013, sets out the findings from a research project scoping the evidence on good practice in social care for disabled and older people with severe and complex needs.

Discussion paper for the Department of Health. A review of the policy and research background on the subject of personalisation and carers, together with current guidance. A review of our current research project on the subject and the practice issues arising from the SPRU study including: assessments, resource allocation, support planning and reviews. A list of the implications and recommendations to arise from the study is included.

The growing population of people with complex needs who require social care makes it important to find out what is the best way to support them. We looked at this question, interrogating the available research evidence, and also talking to the people directly concerned about what they want from social care. \ud \ud Our findings come from a large-scale literature search of all the current UK research evidence on this subject. We also listened to people with complex needs, their carers, and members of specialist organisations about what works best.