Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme

The programme is a collaboration between Kingston University and King’s College London, working closely with NIHR ARC South London and the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce. 

We were awarded funding by the NIHR to provide valuable development opportunities for social care staff and their employer organisations to use research in practice.

Aim of the programme

The aim of the programme was to support social care staff working in south London to develop their skills and knowledge so that they can use research in the workplace to improve services. 

We aimed to build research capacity in both adult and children's social care by supporting successful applicants to engage in a range of research activities. We wanted to:

• Build research capacity and capability in social care practice, management and leadership 
• Support the use and development of social care research 
• Improve research culture and infrastructure in adult and children’s social care practice, particularly in under-served communities
• Promote greater equality, diversity and inclusion 

What was on offer

Successful candidates were provided with flexible and personalised support to engage in a range of funded research training, learning and development opportunities. Examples include: 

• Designing, delivering and contributing to research, analysis and evaluation relevant to practice 
• Access to mentorship or advice drop-in clinics 
• Opportunities for peer learning from a community of award holders 
• Championing research or implementing evidence in social care practice
• Career development and training, such as undertaking an independent work-based project or research project
• Opportunities to consult with ARC South London’s Public and Patient Engagement and Involvement Research Panel  
• Mentorship to become practitioner academic research leaders

Funding for employers

Funding of up to £9,000 was also available for employers to enable them to release staff to engage in research activities. See our information sheet for more details.

Application criteria

The programme was open to applications from practitioners who work in the south London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Wandsworth, Southwark or Sutton and who are directly employed by organisations providing social care. 

See information sheet for more details.

Applications were assessed against the following criteria:

• Learning plan or proposal to build research capacity in an underserved social care community in south London
• Awards were prioritised from those working with underserved communities and those from diverse ethnic backgrounds 
• Employer’s written confirmation of their support 

Read blogs by successful awardees

11 people were successfully awarded funding to take part in the programme from boroughs across south London. Read a series of blogs by some participants:

• Filipa Maia, an education, research and engagement officer at Nightingale Hammerson, a care home provider who shares her experience of the SHARE programme and how her research could improve care for older people in care homes.
• Emily Porro is an outreach worker in St Mungo’s Southwark Street population outreach team reports from ARC South London's Knowledge Exchange event held on 15 January 2026

Find out more

For further information on the Social Care Research Capacity Building Programme, email Maria Brent at SHARE@kingston.ac.uk to arrange an informal discussion.

Read more

• Social care capacity building programme (SHARE)
• NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce