Fully-funded ESRC PhD Studentship: Social Care/Social Policy

Swansea University -College of Human and Health Sciences

Introduction:

Swansea University, in partnership with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), is offering a fully-funded PhD studentship in Social Care/Social Policy: Mapping the Care & Repair Agency Case Worker Role – Social Care and Policy Impact at the Community Level.

About the project:

The studentship provides an innovative opportunity to undertake a collaborative research project which brings together partners from Swansea University, Care & Repair Cymru and their national-level network of agencies, and the ESRC Wales Doctoral Training Centre.

The focus of the project is of importance to all partners, who recognise the central role that agency case workers play in facilitating independent living for older people through person-centred, home-based service provisions, and acting as “link agents” in stimulating effective partnership working across different sectors and services in Wales.

The broad aims of the research will be:

to map the scope of the Care & Repair case worker role in Wales
to explore its potential benefits in terms of enhancing social care at community and individual levels
to identify theoretical and practice implications for social policy and social care developments in Wales

The research will involve a mixed methods approach, drawing on quantitative methodologies (e.g. social network analysis) and qualitative research approaches.

The successful candidate will have access to:

fieldwork opportunities through Care & Repair Cymru agency networks
ESRC doctoral training in Wales.

The project will be located within the College of Human and Health Sciences and its Social Policy and Ageing Programmes. The supervisory team will be led by Dr. Sarah Hillcoat-Nallétamby, Programme Director for Social Policy.

Candidate eligibility:

Due to funding restrictions applicants must be from the UK/EU.

You must have a 1st or good 2:1 degree in Social Policy or a related Social Science discipline and must hold a relevant master’s degree.

You will be required to demonstrate applied experience of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and preferably have some experience of working in the third sector.

Studentship value:

The studentship provides: