Navigating existing research
Our approach to research varies depending on the topic we’re writing about. However, we typically keep three guiding principles in mind.
1. We don’t limit ourselves to specific fields of research
We often produce evidence summaries on topics where there’s not a lot of existing research. We deal with this by widening the kind of research we include, gathering research from all sorts of different fields. For example, depending on the topic, this could include social care research, healthcare, sociology and psychology. We embrace all relevant research, and this is fundamental to our approach.
Our team is made up of people from many different research backgrounds. This means we all provide a different perspective and can draw on varied expertise to take advantage of a wide range of material. And because we can do this, we’re better able to source information which is relevant and helpful for people working in social care.
2. We use international research where appropriate
The purpose of our work is specifically to support the social care workforce in Wales. But for some social care topics, relatively little research exists in a specifically Welsh context. To counteract this, we draw on international research. When we do this, we consider the relevance of each individual source to Wales and ensure that it provides practical insights for Welsh social care. By following this process, we can draw on the most up-to-date research while making sure our resources are useful for our audience.
3. We’re mindful of existing research boundaries
As our evidence summaries don’t involve carrying out original research, we have to work within the bounds of existing research. But since different groups and different topics receive different levels of attention, we must be flexible in how we interpret the material. It’s important for us to acknowledge that having more attention in research doesn’t make a group more important, and to make sure that our work addresses needs rather than reflecting research trends. This includes seeking out research that amplifies marginalised voices and focuses on lived experience. While it’s important for us to stay true to the research, we want to make sure that our evidence summaries are as inclusive as possible.
We produce our evidence summaries in response to what people tell us they want to learn more about
Navigating research gaps
How we navigate research boundaries links well with how we respond when we encounter gaps in the research. We choose topics for our evidence summaries in consultation with people delivering and accessing social care. Since people usually want to know about the things they don’t already have resources for, we often write about under-researched topics.
For example, this year we’re producing a series of evidence summaries about the transition from children’s to adults’ social care services. People have asked for this topic specifically because there isn’t much information about it already available. But this also means we don’t have much research to draw on, even if we include different fields and international research.
We don’t include all research on a topic in our evidence summaries. This is because not everything available will be useful for our audience. Instead, we focus on bringing together all the broadly relevant information we can find to inform the best approach. This means people have easy access to the best information currently available.
Focusing on specific examples can bring insight from other research areas and can help us create useful resources even when there's not much research available
When dealing with a gap in existing research, we work hard to balance the needs of people working in social care with research looking into the specific experiences of different groups. Focusing on specific examples makes it possible to bring in insights from other research areas. For example, transitions between children’s and adults’ care services is a broad topic with very little existing research. But by focusing on the transitions of a specific group of young people, we can bring together broader research on the needs and experiences of that group.
An example of this is how we might use disability studies research to understand the needs of young people with disabilities. This information can then be used to understand what kind of support young people may need during the transition process, and what can help them continue to access the right kind of care.
Looking at specific examples in this way means that we can create helpful resources for people working in social care, even when there’s limited research available. It’s a useful technique and one we often use, especially with concepts that are consistent in different places. For example, in our evidence summary on co-production with care leavers we drew on several international pieces of research into the best ways to do co-production. While some of the research is based in different social care contexts, the principles of the work are the same.
Whenever we do this, our priority is making sure we’re responding to the needs of the Welsh social care sector. The focus is always to provide the best available information possible in a way that’s accessible and relevant.
