Research and evaluation
SCIE can provide evidence and insight to inform your decision-making
Primary and secondary research
Care and health providers, commissioners, policy-makers and researchers need reliable evidence to inform their work and support service improvement and better outcomes for people using services and their carers.
SCIE can provide activities that:
- are informed by a deep understanding of social care for children and adults, and excellent ‘reach’ in the sector
- have co-production and collaboration as core values
- value a range of sources of knowledge and evidence – including the views of people who use services, carers and families, and practitioners.
It was great to work with SCIE to better understand local authority decision-making on early intervention. Their excellent contacts and collaborative approach helped us to appreciate what helps and hinders long-term planning as well as to generate practical recommendations for the way ahead.
Kate Mulley, Director of Policy and Campaigns, Action for Children
Research services
You can commission SCIE to deliver:
- Literature reviews - systematic literature reviews looking at multiple sources including published and grey literature on specific topics, rapid reviews and scoping studies to consider key sources of evidence in a limited time frame.
- In-depth qualitative research including interviews, focus groups and workshops, including with vulnerable or ‘hard to reach’ groups
- Synthesis of learning from key sources such as Serious Case Reviews and (now child safeguarding practice reviews), Safeguarding Adult Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews
- Action research and collaborative evaluation approaches – helping you understand the logic and impact of new interventions
- Working with ‘expert by experience’ peer researchers to co-produce research activities
- Translation of research findings into practical implementation tools and resources (see our Digital and communications offer)
- Dissemination of research across the care and health sectors (see our Digital and communications offer).
Research clients
We provide research services to a wide range of clients including local authorities, care providers, national agencies, government departments, foundation trusts, research agencies and universities. Some of our research clients are outlined below.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Quick guides
The quick guide format was developed in response to feedback from audiences. Each guide covers key information based on NICE guidance that is relevant to a specific audience e.g. care home managers, practitioners who support children and people who use services. A co-production group is involved in the development of each guide.
Crisis
Review of evidence of what works in homelessness services
SCIE was commissioned by Crisis to undertake a review of currently existing evidence on the effectiveness and costs of homelessness interventions and services. The review informed the Crisis plan to end homelessness.
Welsh Government
Rapid evidence assessment and guidance development: autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)
In 2017, the Welsh Government commissioned SQW and SCIE to undertake a rapid evidence assessment (REA) into 'what works' in supporting learners affected by Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Macmillan Cancer Support
Evaluation of the local authority partnerships programme
Leading national cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support commissioned SQW and SCIE to evaluate its Local Authority Partnerships (LAP) Programme. The Programme provides a vision for delivering integrated care and support.
NWG Network
Child sexual exploitation – evaluation support
The NWG Network provides specialist support, training and resources to professionals whose work involves tackling child sexual exploitation. The organisation commissioned SCIE to evaluate its performance and impact.
This is a crucial time for the NWG Network as we build our reach and impact. We are delighted to have SCIE helping us analyse our performance and assess our impact in the future.
Sheila Taylor MBE, Chief Executive, NWG Network.
HC-One
Evaluation of development of nursing assistant roles
Care home provider, HC-One, commissioned SCIE to conduct an independent evaluation of its development programme for its senior carers to become nursing assistants.
Department of Health and Social Care
Evaluation of Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC)
The Department of Health and Social Care commissioned a consortium including SCIE to evaluate the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme – an approach to integrate health and social care services.
everyLIFE Technologies
Evaluation of PASSsystem
SCIE was commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of the PASSsystem . This system is designed to provide a single view of care records from enquiry, assessment, medication and task changes to reviews - meaning less is spent on administration, printing, mileage and insurance.
Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group
Evaluation of Sutton Homes of Care enhanced health in care homes vanguard, 2016-17
SCIE is working with SQW to evaluate the Sutton Homes of Care Vanguard. The Sutton vanguard has developed a care home provider network to support training across local care homes, and a new model of health and social care, which includes expanded in-reach services such as end of life care nurses, aiming to provide the right care at the right time where residents need it.
NHS England & NHS Improvement
Evaluating personalised care. A practical guide
This guide from NHS England and NHS Improvement, co-written by SCIE’s Chief Operating Officer Ewan King, helps practitioners measure the impact of and evaluate personalised care programmes, initiatives or new ways of working.
To join the Personalised Care Collaborative Network, please contact england.personalisedcaredemonstrator@nhs.net to receive an invitation to register.
Evaluating personalised care reportResearch partners
We complement our in-house expertise through partnerships with leading experts in social care policy, practice, research and economics including:
- Alzheimer’s Society
- Birmingham University
- EPPI-Centre at the Institute of Education
- KPMG
- London School of Economics
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- NIHR School for Social Care Research
- NHS England
- NSPCC
- PPL
- Research in Practice
- Research in Practice for Adults
- Traverse
Related SCIE services
Related SCIE resources
- Social Care Online – The UK’s largest database of information and research on all aspects of social care and social work.
- Research resources
- Knowledge reviews
- Research briefings