*Deadline: Friday 12th April*
‘Exploring the variation and equality of access for at-risk adults in receipt of care and support in Wales’
Professor Jonathan Scourfield and Dr Fiona Lugg-Widger
About the Project
Cardiff University School of Social Sciences, supported by Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) (ESRC DTP) and Health Care Research Wales (HCRW), invites applications for PhD study for the following PhD project for October 2024 entry.
The supervisors are Professor Jonathan Scourfield and Dr Fiona Lugg-Widger
Project description:
Ongoing challenges in adult social care remain in the UK in the post-pandemic era. Access to services is affected by staff shortages and squeezed budgets, and adults at risk may be more disadvantaged, but the extent of this is not known.
There is a need for data to quantify the perceived problems and understand, on a population level, the journey through social care and how that journey differs between local authorities and according to type of need and demographics (protected characteristics). There is also a need to understand national and local patterns of care, through dialogue with social care stakeholders.
The first individual-level Adults Receiving Care and Support Census return is currently underway. It will include core details of any adult with a (Welsh) local authority care and support plan during the financial year – estimated to be around 50,000 records. Data will include indicators of need, type of support provided and residency information (secure estate / care home).
The aim of this PhD project is to understand the variation and equality of access for at-risk adults in receipt of care and support in Wales, using both ARCS Census data and qualitative research.
The possible research questions could include:
- What are the characteristics of adults subject to safeguarding processes, by type of abuse, compared with those receiving care and support who have not been?
- What kind of care and support are received by adults at risk in the secure estate (i.e. prisons and other secure institutions), compared with other adults? And what are their demographics, compared with other adults receiving care and support?
- Why might variation occur across local authorities and for adults at risk?
We envisage a mixed-method study, shaped by the interests of the student.
Duration of study:
Durations of study/studentship awards may vary from 3.5 (PhD) to 1+3.5 (MSc + PhD) years full time (or part time equivalent). This is dependent on prior research experience and training needs which will be assessed by completing an Initial Development Needs Analysis (Initial DNA) at the application stage and a Full DNA prior to award if successful.
Assessment:
The closing deadline for applications is 12.00 noon (GMT) on Friday, 19 April 2024. Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place between on 2 May 2024. After interview, a final short-list of applicants will be put forward to a Panel convened by the ESRC WGSSS Management Group at which final decisions with regard to studentship awards will be made. Successful applicants can expect to hear by mid-May 2024.
