ARC National Social Care Capacity Building Event
On Tuesday 4 March 2025, several team members of ARC NWL attended the NIHR ARC National Social Care Capacity Building Event in London, organised by ARC Kent, Surrey and Sussex. This event was open to all involved in the NIHR ARC Social Care Capacity Building Programme.
It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from the 15 regional ARCs working on the development of research capacity in Social Care, and to learn more about what everyone has been up to. There was also an opportunity to hear from various award-holders who have positions as Research Capacity Building Practitioner Posts.
In Conversation with Dr Catherine Lynch
We spoke to Dr Catherine Lynch, Associate Professor in Healthcare at the University of West London (UWL), who is part of the Social Care Team here at ARC NWL, to find out some more about the event.
What were your key takeaways from the event on Tuesday?
It was great to see real life examples of the shared working between the academic community and local authority teams, and to hear about successful partnerships and collaborative projects in social care. Not every project has to be a traditional “research” project and we heard about projects which evaluated interventions and initiatives. Listening to the journeys of the researchers who presented was inspiring.
How does Tuesday’s event link with what we are doing in the Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme here at ARC NWL?
The conferences emphasis on shared working aligns with how ARC NWL is progressing the agenda to make research more accessible and inclusive. In line with our goals, a focus on public involvement, engagement and collaboration provided a reassurance that our priorities match with the national priorities for social care.
Why is this programme of work so important?
It is crucial for several reasons; it is helping social care practitioners develop and enhance their research skills, and to apply research to their practice. It is addressing gaps in social care research and reaching out to underrepresented areas and groups that need more attention. There is a strong focus on promoting collaboration, working together, instead of in silos, which is going to lead to more effective and efficient care.
The ARC NWL Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme has lots of upcoming events and training opportunities, which you can read more about below.
You can also join our mailing list to receive the latest Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme updates, including upcoming events and opportunities.
Social Care Conference: Bringing Social Care Research To Life
Join us for the first conference as part of the Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme, at the Applied Research Collaboration Northwest London.
The conference is free to attend and open to anyone interested in social care research in Northwest London.
When: Wednesday 2 April, 09:30–16:00
Where: Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ
Cost: Free
The themes/aims of the conference are:
Sharing social care research that is happening in North West London, bringing this research to life.
Sharing lessons and practices about what works well in building research cultures and capacity for evidence enriched practice in social care organisations across North West London.
Enhancing research capacity building and skill development for research in social care.
Find out more and register for the event here.
Associated Theme:
This news story is associated with our Social Care Theme