A long-term influence on social policy

Posted on 1 November 2010

The Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of York has helped to develop a huge range of policies to support vulnerable people in society.


Over more than 35 years, it has led change in the delivery of services to people experiencing poverty, ageing, disability, chronic illness, family crisis, abuse or neglect.

SPRU carried out research into the financial impact on families of the death of a child with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition. The study revealed that families could face a drop in income of up to 72 per cent when the child died. As a direct result, the Government extended Child Benefit for up to eight weeks after the death of a child.

The Unit has also carried out ground-breaking work on vulnerable groups of children and young people at risk, which has resulted in new knowledge about young runaways and missing young people. This work resulted in the establishment of the first refuge for children in Glasgow, a National Service Framework for runaways and new national guidance from the Department of Health.

SPRU was awarded a 2009 Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of the impact of its work in the social care field.

Since SPRU was established in 1973, its research teams have had a major influence on policy and practice development for disabled or chronically ill children and adults, informal caregivers, income and employment support systems, looked-after children and young runaways.

The Unit has led the way in developing methods that enable disabled and older people and children to participate actively in research. It has achieved a national and international reputation for applied research. SPRU has provided a model for similar research groups in other countries and trained policymakers, practitioners and researchers from the UK and abroad.

 

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