Although research is well embedded – and resourced – within the NHS, the same is not currently true for adult social care. As more funding becomes available for social care research – over £200m has been awarded to social care research by the NIHR since 2006 – the need to boost capacity, stimulate research curiosity and encourage evidence-based practice/ decision making within local authorities has never been greater.
Launched in June 2022, the Curiosity Partnership is a four-year project focusing on adult social care and how research can play a role in improving the delivery of care for older people. Working with four partner local authorities – City of York Council, City of Doncaster Council, Hull City Council and North Yorkshire Council – and three other universities – University of Hull, Newcastle University and University of Sheffield – the Curiosity Partnership team at the University of York are building relationships with adult social care practitioners, discussing challenges and identifying opportunities to work together.The partnership is also actively championing colleagues in adult social care, supporting fellowship applications, conference attendance, accessing existing research, and exploring specific research interests like loneliness, prevention and the potential impacts of the care cap (if it comes to pass).
Planned outputs: In addition to establishing research communities, work is underway to deliver a social care academy to boost research skills and confidence and a digital platform to connect research-curious colleagues across the partnership, facilitating networking,
knowledge-sharing, and skill-building
