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Find out about our latest news, projects and research.

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Social Policy Research Unit
spru@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 321950
Alcuin Block B, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
SPRUYork

Burdens of caring increase for the elderly

Posted on Wednesday 8 August 2018

Findings from a recent study show that adults who care for family members generally receive less support from health and social care services now than they did over 20 years ago.

Kate Gridley blogs for 'Research in Practice for adults'

Posted on Wednesday 25 April 2018

SPRU researcher shares work on dementia.

Learning from Germany’s long-term care social insurance approach

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2018

Researchers from the University have contributed evidence outlining Germany’s long-term care social insurance scheme to an inquiry examining the sustainability of adult social care funding in England.

Supporting carers of people with dementia study

Posted on Thursday 15 March 2018

The Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) has released a summary of findings from their research: Supporting Carers of People with Dementia, a mixed methods evaluation and feasibility study (January 2018).

Scoping study on therapy interventions for children with a neurodisability publishes findings

Posted on Wednesday 31 January 2018

This study describes the complexities of current therapy interventions for children with neurodisabiliities and identifies a wide-ranging research agenda.

New Projects

The PEDRO study: Partnerships between deaf people and hearing dogs

The PEDRO study is evaluating and exploring hearing dog partnerships. The aim of the study is to understand the impacts and experiences of these partnerships, and their place within wider support and provision for deaf people and people with hearing loss.

Evaluation of Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC)

The Department of Health has commissioned a summative evaluation of the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme. The evaluation aims to identify key lessons about the effectiveness of IPC schemes.

Independent financial advice about funding social care in later life – a project exploring evidence and practice

This study is exploring existing research and current practice regarding independent financial advice about funding social care in older age.

Martin House Research Centre

The Martin House Research Centre is a partnership between Martin House Children’s Hospice, the University of York (Department of Health Sciences and the Social Policy Research Unit) and the University of Leeds.

Latest research findings from SPRU

Life story work in dementia care

What is good practice and how are life stories used?

More about the project

Research summary

Download the full report

Disability, care and participation: secondary analysis of the Life Opportunities Survey and the 2009/10 Survey of Carers in Households

The aims of this research were to explore how patterns of impairment, disability and caring have changed over time, look at how disabled people and those who live with them experience barriers to participating in society, and explore whether disabled people who live in more deprived areas or in the countryside experience different sorts and sizes of barriers from other disabled people by reanalysing data from three national surveys of caring and of impairment and disability.

More about the project.

Download reports:

Disability, Care and Participation: secondary analysis of the Life Opportunities (PDF , 3,344kb)‌

The Changing Face of Caring (PDF , 2,208kb)‌

Technical Report GHS (PDF , 1,015kb)‌

Technical Report LOS (PDF , 647kb)‌

Technical Report SCH (PDF , 849kb

The SIgN project: Self-funders and information needs

The aim of this research was to provide evidence about how self-funders go about getting the information and advice they need, and how staff from local councils, hospitals and charities can best support this process to ensure they are able to make informed decisions about their care wherever possible.

More about the project

Outputs from this project will be posted shortly.

Contact us

Social Policy Research Unit
spru@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 321950
Alcuin Block B, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
SPRUYork