The ASCENT Programme, part of the Social Care Research Development initiative, builds skills, resources, and infrastructure within social care organisations. Its purpose is to enable these organisations to conduct research, use evidence effectively in practice, and ultimately narrow the gap between research and frontline delivery.
From April 2024 to March 2026, ARC East of England secured funding to build research capacity in adult and children’s social care. ASCENT delivered several initiatives, including:
- Researcher-in-Residence placements
- Seed funding for practice-based projects
- Research and Impact Fellowships for social care staff
- Establishment of the ASCENT Network to enhance research culture and infrastructure
These initiatives helped embed evidence in care delivery, supported social care staff-led research, and strengthened research skills across social care.
Building on this success, ASCENT will continue during ARC2 (2026–31) in collaboration with partners across social care, the third sector, and healthcare. The programme is hosted by NIHR ARC East of England and led by Dr Naoko Kishita (University of East Anglia), Professor Kathryn Almack (University of Hertfordshire) and Dr Lida Efstathopoulou (University of Hertfordshire).
Key Priorities:
- Expand the ASCENT network across adult and children’s social care, connecting researchers and practitioners
- Support social care staff to develop research career pathways
- Expand the Researcher-in-Residence model across the East of England
- Strengthen the involvement of Experts-by-Experience in shaping research capacity building
- Promote inclusivity in social care research
- Increase research awareness and improve research infrastructure within social care
- Develop practical resources to guide practitioners through key steps of research development
ASCENT Public Engagement Workshop Summary:
Two public engagement workshops were delivered in February/March 2025 with people who access care, carers and members of the public to understand more about people's experience with adult care services and create a link with our work on research capacity development. Please see below a summary of key points.
- Click here to download the public consultation key points
- Click here to download the public consultation summary points
- To enhance the concept of inclusivity in social care research
- To increase research mindedness and enhance research infrastructure within social care
- To develop resources to support practitioners navigate thought key steps of research development
ASCENT launched a new funding call, the "ASCENT Seed Funding Call", aiming to support social care practitioners who would like to start or progress on their research development. The call is now closed, and it will be likely re-launched in 2025/2026.
