University of York Social Work Research and
Development Unit

This site is no longer updated and is for information only. The SWRDU merged with the SPRU at the University of York in January 2008. Current information can be found here

The management and effectiveness of the home care service

Researchers

Ian Sinclair, Ian Gibbs, Leslie Hicks

Funder

Department of Health

Duration

October 1997 - March 2000

About the project

This study was funded by the Department of Health as part of the Outcomes of Social Care for Adults (OSCA) research initiative. The study aimed to determine:

what counts as a good home care service and what produces it
the qualities and skills which home care staff need
the best ways of organising the service.

The work took place in four local authority areas, and included both local authority and independent provision. Information was collected by means of: preliminary interviews with staff to find out about how services are organised in each area; postal questionnaires to large numbers of service organisers, home care staff and service users; and face-to-face and telephone interviews with smaller numbers of organisers, home care staff and service users, and in some cases, relatives and informal carers.

Publications

The Management and Effectiveness of the Home Care Service - full report 495KB
Caring for Older People at Home - summary of the findings 96KB