research and evaluation

Opportunity and aspiration: two sides of the same coin?

The JRF's recent public consultation revealed a strong sense of unease about some of the changes shaping British society. This Viewpoint continues the discussion about modern 'social evils' on the theme of 'inequality'. Chris Creegan argues that until we can reconcile the problems of excessive individualism, consumerism and greed at the heart of contemporary society, life opportunities will continue to be lost, limited and wasted.

New Degree, New Standards? : a project investigating the alignment of the Standards in Social Work Education (SiSWE) to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)

This project shines a spotlight on the social work qualifying degrees in Scotland with a particular emphasis on the relationship between the SiSWE and the SCQF. It seeks to understand how these two frameworks align to support improved standards of student attainment at a time when the profession has moved from a diploma to degree level qualification.

Researching recovery from mental health problems

This is one of a series of discussion papers designed to help generate debate on how best to promote and support recovery from long-term mental health problems in Scotland. It discusses some of the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to research and argues that qualitative methods are suitable for the generation of rich, narrative accounts of lived experiences that may aid the identification of factors promoting recovery.

Multiculturalism and secularism; Milltown boys revisited (Radio 4 series: Thinking Allowed)

This episode of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed series includes two segments. The first looks at how appropriate a western notion of secularism is in dealing with the complexities of a multi-faith society. Laurie Taylor is joined by Rajeev Bhargava, Professor of Political Science at the University of Delhi and Anshuman Mondal, Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Literature at the University of Leicester, to debate whether western secularism has outlived its purpose and if anything can be learnt from the Indian model of secularism.

Happy and they know it? Developing a well-being framework based on young people consultation

The Children’s Society, in collaboration with University of York, is undertaking a programme of research on the well-being of children and young people in England. This work is based on an extensive consultation with young people. This briefing paper presents a summary of children's and young people's views, as well as describing a framework for children's well-being based on these views, and provides and overview of how we are taking this work forward through a major new survey of children and young people.

Understanding Resilience

The objective of this learning object is to understand the concept of ‘resilience’ and the value of ‘protective factors’ in planning to support vulnerable children. This resource contains information on risk, research evidence, protective factors and the ecological model as well as resilient children and protective environments.

Prescribing heroin: what is the evidence?

The first comprehensive overview of how and why heroin is prescribed in the UK. Prescribing heroin is the first overview of how and why heroin is prescribed in the UK. It brings together research evidence from the UK and elsewhere to provide a comprehensive review of the benefits and drawbacks of heroin prescription. Currently only a small number of UK doctors prescribe heroin. The government is planning a cautious and modest expansion of this treatment. This study considers whether heroin prescription is effective in the short and the long term.