ACORN brings together family and friend carers, researchers, practitioners and VCSE partners to strengthen carer-inclusive applied research across the East of England. In 2025–26 ACORN convened a regional Family Carer Research Showcase and Workshop (Nov 2025), sharing practical approaches to involving carers meaningfully in research and strengthening cross-sector connections.
Background
Unpaid carers – family members, friends, and neighbours who support someone with illness, disability or frailty – play a vital role in the health and social care system. In the UK, there are around 5.7 million unpaid carers, providing care worth an estimated £162 billion per year – almost equal to the annual cost of the NHS. Despite their crucial contribution, carers often experience poor physical and mental health, financial strain, and social isolation. Research on carers is growing, but carers themselves are still underrepresented in shaping research priorities, design, and delivery. ACORN was created to address this gap by building regional capacity for carer-inclusive and carer-led research, ensuring that research better reflects carers’ experiences and informs improvements in policy and practice. ACORN also supports affiliated work, including the ongoing Young Carers in Norfolk primary schools study, which is building local evidence on how schools identify and support young carers.
Project Aims
ACORN aimed to
- Promote the inclusion of unpaid carers and carer perspectives in health and care research.
- Support and connect researchers, practitioners, and carers to develop impactful, co-designed research.
- Build skills and capacity among members to undertake carer-related and carer-inclusive studies.
- Deliver locally relevant, member-prioritised projects that address gaps in evidence (for 2025, the focus is on young carers).
Project Activity
- Mapped and understood the landscape of carer research in the East of England, identifying gaps and opportunities for collaboration.
- Capacity building through workshops, networking events, and mentoring to help members develop and lead co-produced research.
- Supported co-designed funding bids, encouraging inclusive and interdisciplinary research applications that involve carers from the outset.
- Delivered a member-prioritised regional research project – in 2025, focused on improving understanding and support for young carers.
- Showcase events and communication activities to share learning, connect researchers and carers, and raise the profile of carer-inclusive research.
Outputs
- A clearer picture of existing carer-related research and gaps in the East of England.
- Increased number and diversity of co-produced research proposals involving carers.
- A completed locally relevant research project on young carers.
- Capacity-building resources and events to sustain carer-inclusive research practice.
Impact:
- Improved inclusion of unpaid carers in health and social care research, ensuring their voices shape priorities and outcomes.
- Stronger regional networks between carers, researchers, and service providers.
- Evidence to inform policy, commissioning, and workforce development, ultimately improving support for carers’ wellbeing and their ability to sustain their caring role.
Outputs/impacts (2025–26)
- Delivered the East of England Family Carer Research Showcase and Workshop (13 Nov 2025), with feedback forms returned from 18 participants (including 9 family carers, alongside researchers, health/social care professionals and VCSE representatives; some with dual roles).
- Participant feedback indicated increased confidence in including carers in research (13), recognising carers’ skills and expertise (11), and understanding barriers to carer involvement (12); 16 reported feeling their voice was heard during the workshop.
- 51 people have joined the ACORN mailing list, indicating ongoing regional interest and a base for future engagement and dissemination.
- Workshop learning highlighted practical recommendations for future activity (e.g., accessibility, clearer communication, more time for discussion, strengthening facilitation and pre-event information).
Next steps (planned)
- Continue ACORN activity in ARC2 (regular meetings/showcase events; targeted engagement with under-represented carer groups in research such as young carers and parent carers of children with complex needs).
- Confirm the new lead/contact for ACORN as recruitment/transition completes and update the website page accordingly.
- Share learning/resources from the Nov 2025 workshop and future events via ARC EoE channels and partners.
Who was involved?
- Lisa Franks, PI, University of East Anglia
- Kristy Sanderson, University of East Anglia
- Allison Bentley, University of East Anglia
- Morag Farquhar, University of East Anglia
- Fiona Poland, University of East Anglia
- Elspeth Mathie, University of Hertfordshire
- PPI (various)
Contact
Lisa Franks, Lisa.Franks@uea.ac.uk
