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To achieve a growth in practice-focused research, social care requires a solid infrastructure including a skilled research workforce, funding and a framework of national, strategic priorities. This article concerns practitioner researchers and developing the skills and support to enable practitioners to become active researchers within social care practice. It reports on findings from a study to develop a better understanding of the challenges of building capacity to undertake social care research in the South of England and the opportunities for building research engagement and capacity within local authorities (LAs) to include practitioner-led research. A qualitative approach was undertaken. Participants were practitioners working in LA social service departments. Participants completed an online questionnaire (n = 22), with a subsample (n = 6) interviewed. A semi-structured interview schedule collected positive and negative views of research experiences and of using research evidence. Individual-level and organisational research barriers were extracted as themes from the data and are described. The authors then discuss areas where practical ground level initiatives could be focused that might assist in developing a more positive research environment within social care organisations employing social workers and other practitioners.

Peer reviewed: True, INTRODUCTION: This research investigates how community-led organisations' (CLOs') use of assets-based approaches improves health and well-being, and how that might be different in different contexts. Assets-based approaches involve 'doing with' rather than 'doing to' and bring people in communities together to achieve positive change using their own knowledge, skills and experience. Some studies have shown that such approaches can have a positive effect on health and well-being. However, research is limited, and we know little about which approaches lead to which outcomes and how different contexts might affect success. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Using a realist approach, we will work with 15 CLOs based in disadvantaged communities in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A realist synthesis of review papers, and a policy analysis in different contexts, precedes qualitative interviews and workshops with stakeholders, to find out how CLOs' programmes work and identify existing data. We will explore participants' experiences through: a Q methodology study; participatory photography workshops; qualitative interviews and measure outcomes using a longitudinal survey, with 225 CLO participants, to assess impact for people who connect with the CLOs. An economic analysis will estimate costs and benefits to participants, for different contexts and mechanisms. A 'Lived Experience Panel' of people connected with our CLOs as participants or volunteers, will ensure the appropriateness of the research, interpretation and reporting of findings. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This project, research tools and consent processes have been approved by the Glasgow Caledonian University School of Health and Life Sciences Ethics Committee, and affirmed by Ethics Committees at Bournemouth University, Queen's University Belfast and the University of East London. Common Health Assets does not involve any National Health Service sites, staff or patients.Findings will be presented through social media, project website, blogs, policy briefings, journal articles, conferences and visually in short digital stories, and photographic exhibitions.

Disabled people have equal rights to positive sexual wellbeing including sexual citizenship; however, this may not always be experienced and support for sexual well-being is less likely to form part of services offered by professionals in health and social care services. Inspired by disabled people, phenomenological research into the experience of sexual well-being for a group of physically disabled adults was undertaken. The results show that sexual well-being is understood in several ways. The notion of sexual well-being raises issues of the physical body, connection to notions of normality and what support disabled people want from health and social care professionals. There is a clear link between sexual well-being and other aspects of physical and emotional well-being, making it an issue which needs to be proactively addressed by health and social care professionals in ways which are directed by disabled people.

Additional file 1: Supplementary table 1: Items from the World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set.

This paper explores the application of ethical thinking from the perspective of someone with the dual role of social worker and PhD researcher. The focus of the research was family secrets and their influence upon child-to-parent violence and abuse (CPVA). The participants were children and their parents, who, at the time of the research, were experiencing family violence and abuse. This paper was developed from a conversation between Lee-Ann and Louise. Lee-Ann was Louise’s PhD supervisor and was therefore involved in supporting Louise in gaining ethics approval, as well as holding continued reflexive conversations about the ethical questions and dilemmas that arose throughout this study. This paper has shown the importance of hearing the voices of children within research about CPVA. Children can offer a rich layer of information that is seldom heard. It also shows that there may be a different lens through which ethics can be considered during research, not only the purely objective or academic, but also from a practitioner-researcher in a social care setting position.

Homeless people often have multiple and complex needs resulting in deep social exclusion. Homelessness research represents a contested arena and one in which it is important to place the human experience of homelessness at the heart of the process. This paper reports on the Seldom Heard Voices project which used poetic inquiry as a qualitative research tool to examine the experience of homelessness. A performance poet, a group of homeless people attending a homeless hostel, and academics from social science backgrounds worked together to explore the lived experience of homelessness creating insights into wellbeing, identity, and belonging. This paper presents an overview of the project and considers how ‘poetic’ writing can engage seldom heard voices, providing a context for understanding the lived experience of homelessness through the words of participants, alongside the reflective narrative of the poet working with them. The project methodology is considered and the themes arising from two poems and the poet’s narrative is discussed.Keywords: homelessness; social services; poetic inquiry; arts-based research

Financial scams have been described as the crime of the twenty-first century, representing a global challenge for agencies involved in the protection of older people at risk of financial abuse. Financial abuse is the second most common form of adult abuse, but traditionally research has focused on abuse that occurs within relationships of trust within families. Less is known about financial scams perpetrated by individuals or organisations unknown to the individual, and which specifically target older people. In part, this is because financial scams are often underreported, as victims can be reluctant to disclose their experience, posing challenges to those who have a safeguarding role. This paper discusses factors emerging from the literature that act as triggers for scam involvement. These include loneliness, emotional vulnerability linked to life events, cognitive impairment and mental capacity. The findings of a small exploratory qualitative study with older people and their carers (n = 12) who have experienced financial scams will be discussed in relation to the literature. These provide unique insights into the experience of being scammed and the impact on individual health and well-being. Key themes will be discussed in relation to social work practice and integrated working across health and social care.

Purpose This paper aims to explore the learning needs of general practitioners (GPs) involved in commissioning mental health provision in England, and offer an evaluation of a leadership and commissioning skills development programme for Mental Health Commissioners. Design/methodology/approach Retrospective mixed method, including online mixed method survey, rating participants’ knowledge, skills, abilities, semi-structured telephone interviews and third-party questionnaires were used. Results were analysed for significant differences using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Open-ended responses and interview transcripts were analysed thematically. Findings Indicative results showed that participants perceived significant impacts in ability across eight key question groups evaluated. Differences were found between the perceived and observed impact in relation to technical areas covered within the programme which were perceived as the highest scoring impacts by participants. Research limitations/implications The indicative results show a positive impact on practice has been both perceived and observed. Findings illustrate the value of this development programme on both the personal development of GP Mental Health Commissioners and commissioning practice. Although the findings of this evaluation increase understanding in relation to an important and topical area, larger scale, prospective evaluations are required. Impact evaluations could be embedded within future programmes to encourage higher participant and third-party engagement. Future evaluations would benefit from collection and analysis of attendance data. Further research could involve patient, service user and carer perspectives on mental health commissioning. Originality value Results of this evaluation could inform the development of future learning programmes for mental health commissioners as part of a national approach to improve mental health provision.

The UK's departure from the European Union (Brexit) is likely to result in greater immigration and employment restrictions on European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) nationals within the United Kingdom. EU/EEA citizens constitute a significant proportion of the current social care workforce. Research evaluating the impact of Brexit on social care has highlighted potentially severe future workforce shortfalls, but has not engaged in detail with the experiences of social care personnel involved in day‐to‐day recruitment and retention activities. This article explores how social care managers evaluate Brexit's prospects for future workforce sustainability, through the prism of their organisation's workforce requirements. This qualitative study incorporated in‐depth semi‐structured interviews and questionnaire surveys with domiciliary and residential care managers. Data collection focused on an urban conurbation in south‐west England, with demographic characteristics likely to make post‐Brexit recruitment and retention in social care particularly challenging. A key finding is that, irrespective of whether they employ EU/EEA workers or not, research participants have deep concerns about Brexit's potential impact on the social care labour market. These include apprehensions about future restrictions on hiring EU/EEA nurses, as well as fears about increased competition for care staff and their organisation's future financial viability. This article amplifies the voices of managers as an under‐researched group, bringing their perspectives on Brexit to bear on wider debates on social care workforce sustainability.

The meaning of sexual well-being for physically disabled people is a little researched area of social work practice. The traditionally hidden nature of sexuality and sexual well-being in disability research means that practitioners have little evidence based guidance to help offer inclusive person-centred care. Because sexual well-being is a sensitive topic, and one which professionals can feel uncomfortable discussing, the absence of guidance reinforces the barriers to its inclusion in practice. So, although sexual well-being is potentially one of the most meaningful aspects of human life, it has rarely been addressed in health and social care practice (Taylor, 2011). As a result disabled people can experience discrimination regarding their sexual well-being, with the notion of asexuality or deviance remaining prevalent in their personal accounts. Sexuality and sexual relationships are often the source of disabled people's deepest oppression and therefore should be the focus for disability action (Shakespeare, 2000). This paper will explore the importance of sexual well-being to personal identity, self-esteem and mental and physical well-being. This is particularly relevant to the context of social work with adults in England which is underpinned by the Care Act (2014) with its focus on promoting well-being. Issues for practitioners and future research will be identified.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings from a study exploring the understanding of vulnerability and adult safeguarding within Christian faith-based settings. The paper concludes with recommendations for practitioners involved in safeguarding adults in faith-based Christian settings. Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers a survey (n=3,182) into understanding of vulnerability and adult safeguarding for individuals who attend Church regularly or work in a Christian organisation Findings – This study is the first to be undertaken with a UK sample and highlights a range of factors informing adult safeguarding practice within Christian organisations. This includes: complexity linked to understanding vulnerability and its role in safeguarding activity; lack of clarity about what to do with a safeguarding adult concern; and the need for safeguarding training pertinent to the particular needs of faith-based settings. Research limitations/implications – As there is currently a dearth of research in this area this paper makes a valuable contribution to the developing knowledge base around safeguarding and vulnerability within faith-based organisations. Practical implications – Professionals need to develop increased understanding of the complexities involved in safeguarding activity, and specifically how those working in the wider context of supporting vulnerable adults make sense of safeguarding processes and procedures. Social implications – It is important that all organisations, including faith-based settings, working with adults have an understanding of their roles and responsibilities with respect to safeguarding those at risk of harm. Originality/value – This paper is the first UK study to consider safeguarding adults at risk of harm in Christian faith contexts.

In the contemporary connected world, the news media appears captivated by stories of ‘trolling,’ ‘sexting’ and other seemingly transgressive behaviours on social media, raising public concerns abou...

This paper explores the importance of including sexual well-being within social work practice and education. Social workers often work with individuals for whom opportunities for sexual expression are limited and who face discriminatory attitudes. Sexual well-being is a global concern, and is particularly relevant considering international interest in the influence of notions of well-being on mental and physical health. Implementation of new social care policy in England, underpinned by the well-being principle, provides practitioners with the opportunity to explore what is meaningful to individual?s well-being through person-centred approaches to practice. There is currently little coverage of sexual well-being within social work education, this means students and practitioners lack the knowledge and skills to challenge barriers. Promotion of the concept of sexual citizenship, with its associated rights and responsibilities, enables social workers to engage in rights focused practice. Sexual well-being is a sensitive subject and the social and personal barriers practitioners may experience in addressing this topic are explored.

Purpose Lack of understanding of the needs of older LGBT individuals is a global issue and their needs are often ignored by health and social care providers who adopt sexuality-blind approaches within their provision. As a result, public services can find it difficult to push the LGBT equalities agenda forward due to resistance to change and underlying discrimination. The aim of this paper is to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This report considers how a body of participatory research concerning the needs and experiences of older LGBT people was used to create innovatory dissemination tools, which then engaged communities through public engagement to learn about the needs and experiences of older LGBT citizens. Good research has a “long tail” – (in statistics, “a large number of occurrences far from the ‘head’ or central part of the distribution”). The report considers how a film and a method deck of cards, presented to service providers in several workshops over time, offered opportunities to learn and critically reflect upon an informed practice. Findings Because of the on-going feedback from our workshops, the authors, in turn, learned the importance of having a champion within a community organisation to take forward the LGBT agenda. A report of one such outreach champion is included here. Originality/value Consideration is given to challenges involved in creating impact through research, and how participatory community processes may enhance impact to develop over time.

The new landscape of adult safeguarding Adult safeguarding and financial abuse from scams Developing understanding of the nature of scams and the role of trading standards Loneliness, well-being and scam involvement Dementia, safeguarding and scam involvement Mental capacity, safeguarding and considering best interests Developing an understanding of the National Trading Standards Scams Team Doorstep crime: Rogue trading and Distraction burglary Appendix The language of scammers

Historically there has been a significant under-recognition of mental health problems among people in the criminal justice system, and little research exploring the issues encountered by those with mental health problems who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Recent policy has highlighted the importance of early identification of mental health needs in criminal cases, and the role of diversion of offenders into appropriate mental health services. However research suggests that currently the provision of mental health services for offenders is patchy, and it has been suggested that improved interagency communication and training is required to improve the diversion of offenders with mental health problems into more appropriate mental health provision.The aim of this paper is to consider the current position of those with mental health conditions within the criminal justice system in England, and discuss how joint interagency training can improve understanding of the diversion agenda for the range of practitioners that come into contact with offenders with mental health problems. The perspectives of a range of practitioners who attended a joint interagency training day will be discussed, and recommendations for future training will be offered. © 2014 Taylor & Francis.

There is currently limited research exploring the impact of undertaking sensitive or challenging research on the researcher, although some textbooks explore researcher preparedness. This article presents a discussion of the findings from a research project which engaged with the seldom heard voices of researchers themselves. The aim was to explore researchers’ experiences of undertaking research on sensitive topics, or with marginalized groups, as this can expose researchers to emotionally disturbing situations throughout data collection and analysis, which can be psychologically challenging. Although ethical codes of practice include discussion around protection of both the researcher and the participant, in practice, the ethics approval process rarely considers the impact of the proposed research on the researcher. Their experiences are therefore seldom acknowledged or heard, resulting in potential distress for the researcher. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with social science researchers from a range of discipline backgrounds and at different points in their research careers ( n = 10). This article explores two themes emerging from the data: preparedness and positionality. It considers what these themes mean in terms of supporting researchers who encounter challenging research data, and issues related to supporting researcher reflexivity and the requirements for institutional support offered to researchers will also be considered.

Service providers need to understand financial capability from the perspective of the older client, in order to deliver services best suited for this age group. This article explores how older people perceive one dimension of their financial capability—their ability to stay financially informed. Older people were found to be accessing less traditional sources of financial information: they are either selfreliant for information, researching on the internet or using the media, or they tap into existing sources of social capital found within their social networks. Trusted public and voluntary sector service providers are preferred information resources over and above professionals in financial services. These findings suggest financial services need to build trust and/or form partnerships with other trusted voluntary or public sector services.

This paper considers some of the complexities of involving people who use social work services in qualifying education and some of the positive aspects of doing so. The paper reviews growing involvement and the importance of training courses and support for those who get involved drawing on evaluations.

Despite the growing awareness of Mass Marketing Fraud (MMF) in the financial abuse of vulnerable older people, little empirical research has been undertaken in this area. This paper is one of the first to consider the perspectives of a range of professionals who work with victims of mass marketing fraud and financial crime. MMF is a growing threat in the financial abuse of older people, and is increasingly recognised as a concern for professionals involved in supporting and safeguarding vulnerable older people. This paper considers the themes emerging from a small exploratory qualitative study into the perspectives of professionals working to safeguard those at risk of MMF and considers some of the complexities involved in tackling MMF. This involves consideration of the techniques used to groom and lure victims in plausible looking frauds, and the factors which serve to reinforce their sustained involvement in such activity.

The importance of economic well-being is recognised in the recent UK Government policy. Older people may be particularly vulnerable to economic fluctuations as they are reliant on fixed incomes and assets, which are reducing in value. Within the literature, little is understood about the impact of the current economic downturn on people's general quality of life and well-being and, in particular, there is little research on the financial experiences and capability of the older age group, a concern in light of the ageing UK population. This article reports a qualitative research study into the nature of older peoples' vulnerability by exploring their perceptions of the impact of the economic recession on their well-being and quality of life. It explores specifically a group of older people who are not the poorest within the ageing population, but who may be described as the 'asset rich-income poor' group. Key themes relate to the impact of the recession on the costs of essential and non-essential items and dimensions of mental, physical and social well-being. Implications for health and social care practice in meeting the needs of older people during times of economic recession are then explored. The paper adds to the debate by demonstrating that the recession is having adverse consequences for older people's quality of life in terms of economic, mental and social well-being, although there is also evidence that some of them are equipped with certain resilience factors due to their money management and budgeting skills.

This article explores the role of group supervision within doctoral education, offering an exploration of the experience of group supervision processes through a small-scale study evaluating both student and staff experience across three cohorts of one professional doctorate programme. There has been very little research to date exploring mechanisms which might facilitate reflection on such programmes, such as group supervision and cohort-based pedagogies. The article raises important questions concerning what constitutes group supervision, and the opportunities it offers for wider learning opportunities beyond existing models of supervision by developing an enriched learning environment through peer learning. This pedagogical approach enables professional doctorate students to engage reflexively with discursive processes around their identity as researching professionals. Discussion of the findings will explore the impact of peer learning on the doctoral student journey, and whether any benefits of group...

A review will be given of current developments in the UK of the increasingly recognised risks posed by financial abuse/financial scamming. Recent legislation, including the Care Act (2014) will be considered in terms of agency responsibility to protect vulnerable older adults at risk from financial scams. In particular there will be a focus on the implications for the financial industries such as retail banking and insurance, and how action in this area most vulnerable to financial scams. For example this may include an agreement that that organisations should only share information to other organisations via a clear opt in rather than opt out process to help avoid ‘suckers lists’, and that the banking sector should adopt a 24hour delay process on transactions above a defined threshold for those citizens who feel at risk of financial scamming. . Examples of research in the UK will be considered as well as the practical measures, in terms of partnerships and collaborations, which have been pursued to mitigate the prevalence and potential for financial abuse in the older population. These relationships include academic researchers working with Royal Mail, the police, social workers, trading standards organisations and others. Recommendations for interventions to reduce the prevalence and impact of financial abuse will be made.

• Summary: Within the domains of health and social care the expertise of patients, service users, volunteers and carers is becoming increasingly recognized and valued. Their involvement in various aspects of research and service development is becoming more common through ‘co-production’, emphasizing the social capital of these groups in contributing to new types of knowledge and service development. This article develops the notion of ‘co-production’ further by discussing the value of involving lay people, volunteers, service users and carers in scholarly writing and dissemination activities, and will explore ways of achieving this. Bourdieu’s General Theoretical Framework is used to explore how the field of ‘higher education’ can embrace the social and cultural capital of those outside of the academy in both research and scholarly writing activities, and how volunteers and lay researchers can be supported in such activities. • Findings: In producing this article, two volunteers were asked to reflect on their experiences of becoming researchers, and their thoughts about disseminating the research findings through scholarly writing. The social capital of experts by experience can be valued within scholarly writing, and through this creative process different representations and understandings of the social world we live in begin to emerge. • Application: The importance of synthesizing alternate epistemologies within academic debate and discourse is centrally important when involving lay people and volunteers in research. This serves to stretch the boundaries of professional knowledge further, and contributes ‘insider’ perspectives to our understanding of social life.

This report presents the findings of a three-year action research project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, which explored the needs, experiences and aspirations of older lesbians and gay men in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset between June 2003 and September 2006. This Participatory Action Research Project (PAR) was undertaken by a group of older volunteers, with the support of a project worker, employed by Help and Care, and by a senior lecturer at Bournemouth University. The project has established many links regionally and nationally with a wide range of agencies, organisations and individuals. The group of volunteers from the older lesbian and gay community, with the guidance of Help and Care and Bournemouth University, have raised awareness of the needs, issues and concerns that they face as non-heterosexuals. Members of the group have actively participated in both academic and social care conferences as well as attending meetings with various agencies. This has raised the profile of the group substantially and given a voice to older lesbians and gay men that was previously silent. The project's remit is broad, encompassing as it does both research and outreach work and it is to the credit of the Gay and Grey volunteers that they have stuck to the original remit. A total of 300 self-completion questionnaires were distributed using existing lesbian and gay male groups and networks. A response rate of 30% (90) was achieved with an age range of 50 – 90 years. 34% (31) of respondents were subsequently interviewed. The volunteers undertook the statistical analysis of the data from the questionnaires and the thematic analysis of open-ended questions. They also carried out the interviews and analysed the information gathered. The gender mix of respondents was almost equal; we were unsuccessful in reaching other than white ethnic cultures. 44% of respondents were professional; more than 50% had access to the Internet. (4.1 page 11; 4.2.1 page 40) Key themes Sexuality and coming out (4.1.2 page 14; 4.2.3 page 55): Each person’s experience of being gay is very different. Almost half those questioned felt really positive about being gay; they had been able to come out to family and friends who were supportive and accepting. Others have had devastating exposure to cruel and thoughtless discrimination. Relationships and social networks (4.1.3 page 21; 4.2.1 page 40): It appears that existing gay social groups and personal support structures are not fulfilling a need for the majority and that there is a need to look into other ways of developing social networks. The lack of social outlets where people can totally relax and be themselves without fear of censure or abuse creates a sense of loneliness and makes it difficult to develop friendships. Community and Housing (4.1.4 page 24): Transport for those in rural areas continues to be a problem and some respondents talked of needing social support services like advocacy, buddying schemes and practical support in their homes and gardens. Social care and health (4.1.5 page 27; 4.2.4 page 62): Most gay people want their sexuality to be taken into consideration by those providing services and they want to be treated with respect and equality. The majority thought that educational and awareness training for all staff was imperative. It is also felt that strong anti-discriminatory policies allowing for diversity and equality need to be enshrined in codes of conduct.

This paper explores the model of professional doctorate (D.Prof) as a route for those immersed in professional practice but who wish to undertake research at the doctoral level. One definition of the professional doctorate given by the United Kingdom Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) describes it as ‘a programme of advanced study and research which, whilst satisfying the university criteria for the award of a doctorate, is designed to meet the specific needs of a professional group external to the university’. Central to the heart of the D.Prof is professional practice. It has been described as developing ‘researching professionals’ rather than ‘professional researchers’, and as part of the move towards the knowledge economy in higher education, can be seen as part of the transformation from ‘autonomous scholar’ into ‘enterprising self’. This paper explores my choice of a professional doctorate over a traditional PhD, and the role that reflection and reflexivity have in informing the research focus, ...

SUMMARY This article offers a comparative review of two participative projects involving older lesbians and gay men (OLG) in different parts of the United Kingdom. Both projects set out to promote local networks of OLGs, support and facilitate their input and commentary on local services and act as a prototype model of consultation that might be taken up and used in other areas. The authors review some of the challenges and achievements of each project and critically compare the two initiatives. Discussion of each stage of the projects includes an appraisal of the relative strengths and weaknesses of their different elements. Emphasis is placed upon the concern to involve OLGs at every level and stage of each project and how this was achieved. Reference to relevant policy provides a backdrop to a discussion of the practical considerations in setting up time-limited projects of this nature. Consideration of some of the outcomes of each project with emphasis upon the implications for utilising similar parti...

This paper considers performance poetry as a method to explore lived experiences\ud of disability. We discuss how poetic inquiry used within a participatory arts-based\ud research framework can enable young people to collectively question society’s\ud attitudes and actions towards disability. Poetry will be considered as a means to\ud develop a more accessible and effective arena in which young people with direct\ud experience of disability can be empowered to develop new skills that enable them\ud to tell their own stories. Discussion of how this can challenge audiences to critically reflect upon their own perceptions of disability will also be developed.\ud

This paper examines the importance of approaching research with minority groups of older people in an inclusive way. For older people, ageism is a key feature of the discrimination and marginalisation they experience, but some are excluded and marginalised further on the basis of their ethnicity and sexuality. The 'invisibility' of these groups poses a challenge to social workers and social work educators, as assumptions about their experiences and needs may be made which do not reflect the subjective experiences of these older people. The use of Participatory Action Research as a method of including service users in knowledge and theory development will be analysed, and a research proposal undertaken in partnership with a local voluntary agency will be explored. The importance for social work education of pursuing 'inclusive' methods of research so that service users have more power over knowledge produced about their lives, will be discussed.