5/11/2018

Research team

Professor Clare Tilbury, Leneen Forde Chair of Child and Family Research, School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University.

Research Focus: Child protection systems, outcomes, accountability and performance measurement.

Professor Christine Bigby, Director Living with Disabilities Research Centre, La Trobe Advancing Social Work Research: University. Research Focus: Supporting quality life outcomes for people with intellectual disability Pathways to Impact policy, program effectiveness and practice. Professor Mark Hughes, Professor of Social Work, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Southern Cross University.

Research Focus: Aged care service delivery, social work practice with older people and LGBTIQ ageing. Christine Bigby, Mark Hughes, Clare Tilbury and Professor Mike Fisher, Director Institute of Applied Social Research, University of Mike Fisher Bedfordshire, UK.

Research Focus: Providing sensitive and responsive care, re-enablement, early aging intervention and systematic evidence reviews.

latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M La Trobe University 2

Project aims and research questions Project stages

Enhance conceptual, methodological, and empirical understandings of the . Stage 1: Mapping & assessing scope of social work research, inc. distinctive nature of social work research and its contribution to human ̶ Scoping reviews in 3 fields: ageing, disability, child protection services policy and practice. ̶ Comparative analyses between Australia & UK, and between social work, • What is the scope and quality of social work research in the human service fields of criminology, & social policy child protection, aged care and disability in Australia? ̶ Assessment of ARC-funded social work research • What are the strengths and limitations of this body of research? . Stage 2: Investigating research impact • What is the impact of social work research on human services delivery in the ̶ Impact case studies developed: 4 in each field selected fields? ̶ Research Impact Forum: held in November: academic, research end user, • What strategies can advance social work and human service research productivity, industry perspectives on case studies & pathways to impact uptake and impact in Australia? ̶ Development of a ‘how to’ guide for social work researchers to maximise impact

La Trobe University 3 La Trobe University 4

Some findings from scoping reviews Project stages cont. . Examined Australian social work research articles in 3 fields: focused on quantity, nature & range of the publications/studies . Stage 3: Research end user study . Common criteria: approx. 10 year timeframe, at least 1 author social work qualified, journal articles, in English ̶ Interviews with up to 75 research end users (up to 25 in each field), inc. policy makers, managers, practitioners . Many authors with just 1 publication in that field in the timeframe of the reviews ̶ Focus on understanding of social work research, particularly how it is used & its . High level of interdisciplinarity impact . High level of publication in international journals . Stage 4: Strategies to advance innovation . Many publications in non-social work journals ̶ Leading researcher study: interviews with 20 leading researchers – ideas for . Much research on social issues [nature of social problems, marginalised groups, lived research training & capacity building, research production, links with practice experiences] policy development, program delivery, but not a lot specifically on ̶ Development of an ‘Agenda for Australian Social Work Research’: strategy for social work practice improving capacity, international links, pathways to innovation . Not much service user engagement in research processes – e.g. design & delivery . But much research had a ‘client focus’ – e.g. perspectives via qual research/surveys . Bigby, Tilbury & Hughes, (2018); Hughes, Bigby & Tilbury (2018). Tilbury, C., Hughes, M., Bigby, C., Fisher, M., & Vogel, L. (2017).

La Trobe University 5 La Trobe University 6

1 5/11/2018

Disability Key messages for disability field

. Multidisciplinary teams is a plus • 124 SW papers between 2007 to 2015, average 13.8 p.a. & growing . Social work disability research makes a distinctive contribution; it is contextualised in • 3 authors accounted for 63.0% with most authors only publishing once. service systems or policy, has a focus on community and civic participation and social • Most articles were published by interdisciplinary journals and 79.0% were relationships authored by a multidisciplinary team. . Perhaps need to make the social work connection explicit, in order to enhance SW • Research tended to be descriptive - dominant topics were health and wellbeing (n=34: 21.4%) community and civic participation (n=28: 22.6%). research visibility and application in practice and education. • Gender, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rural and remote issues and use of participatory methods are gaps.

La Trobe University 7 La Trobe University 8

Impact Australian social work research compared “..contribution that research makes to the economy, society, environment or culture, beyond the contribution to academic research”. . ERA 2012, ERA 2015, REF 2014: Within Australia, social work research quality rated What has changed as a result of the research - instrumental – conceptual - capacity well compared to criminology and policy & administration. Public policy . SW productivity per FTE slightly lower; policy & administration generated around • Influence on policy influence or debate double the income. • Changes to public policy, legislation, or regulations. . Most SW research funding from government and industry, about 20% Aust • Improved understanding or reframing of a problem leading to new strategies. competitive grants (compared to 50% for crim) • Priority shifts in expenditure profiles or quantifiable reallocation of non-profit or public budgets. . 30% of Australian submissions compared to 70% of UK submissions achieved a rating • Improved community awareness of a social problem, based on research. of excellent or world leading. Impact on human service organisations or service delivery: . Adding impact measures to Australia’s research assessment criteria likely to benefit • Decisions by a human service organisation or industry body informed by research. social work. • Training programs have been developed or amended based on research. • Clinical tools or practice guidelines developed or amended based on research. Tilbury, C., Hughes, M., Bigby, C., Fisher, M., & Vogel, L. (2017). • Improved understanding or reframing of problem leads to new services • Take-up and use of new or improved service delivery products, practices or processes that aim to improve client or community experience or outcomes • La Trobe University 9 La Trobe University 10

Engagement Impact continued “ interaction between researchers and research end-users outside of academia, for the Impact on quality of life of clients or community members: mutually beneficial transfer of knowledge, technologies, methods or resources” • Community impact - Improved community well-being, inclusion, or community Not the same but likely to be a pathway to impact participation. • Research funding (public sector or industry • Community impact - Public behaviour has changed. • In-kind support for research • Client impact - Improved client knowledge, status, experience, or well-being. • Appointments to government advisory boards • Organisational impact – Improved democratic participation or service access. • Contributions to human service organisations boards, committees, advocacy groups • Community engagement or involvement in research has improved. • Advice to/consultation community groups, professional bodies, government. • Submissions to public inquiries on industry-research related issues • Presentations, seminars, lectures and workshops for human service organisations, • Research reports for industry bodies – government and nongovernment • Use of media/social media to communicate research • Co-designing and collaborating on research events, symposia etc • Mentoring external research partners – HDR internships • Awards from industry for research or research activities

La Trobe University 11 La Trobe University 12

2 5/11/2018

Activity: case study examples Development of 12 impact case studies . Join a small group: child protection; disability; ageing and aged care . Focused on engagement activities & (non-academic) impact of a program of research . Read through the case study . Selected on basis of most productive researchers (by journal publication) identified . Discuss in the small group: in scoping reviews ̶ What were the main (non-academic) impacts of the research? . Based on interviews with the researchers & other data sources ̶ How long did it take for impacts to be noticeable and lasting? . Formatted with common template, inc. ̶ How did the researchers achieve these impacts? (e.g. engagement activities) ̶ Context – background/rationale for the research program ̶ How were (or could) the impacts be verified? ̶ Research projects underpinning impact ̶ What challenges did the researchers face in pursuing impact? ̶ Research outputs (i.e. academic publications) ̶ What are some lessons for future researchers based on this case study? ̶ Approach to impact . Feedback in larger group on lessons for future researchers ̶ Impacts on public policy & legislation; human service organisations & service delivery; wellbeing of service users/communities . Discussion in larger group: ̶ Engagement activities ̶ What research infrastructure is needed to facilitate research impact? ̶ Research income ̶ What would you like to see in a ‘how to’ guide for social work researchers?

La Trobe University 13 La Trobe University 14

Reflections . All types of (good) research are useful - into social issues, organisational Publications practices not only those framed as evidence-based practice Bigby, C., Tilbury, C., & Hughes, M. (2018). Social Work Research in the Field of Disability in ̶ Inform policies, program design and implementation. Australia: A Scoping Review. Australian Social Work, 71(1), 1-14. doi:10.1080/0312407X.2017.1364397 ̶ Innovative ways of working in the human services. Hughes, M., Bigby, C., & Tilbury, C. (2018). Australian Social Work Research on Ageing and Aged ̶ Extend the evidence base for interventions. Care: A Scoping Review. Journal of Social Work, 18(4), 431-450. doi:10.1177/1468017316654346

̶ Strengthen professional foundations for practice impact and advocacy. Tilbury, C., Hughes, M., Bigby, C., Fisher, M., & Vogel, L. (2017). A Comparative Study of Australian . Recognise different ways of operationalising ‘social work research’ & the limitations Social Work Research. British Journal of Social Work, 47, 2217-2237. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcw135

. Theory development is vital! e.g., critical reflection requires theory. Tilbury, C., Hughes, M., Bigby, C., & Osmond, J. (2017). Social Work Research in the Child Protection Field in Australia. British Journal of Social Work, 47, 256-274. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcv123 . We need to understand how to ensure research can inform policies, program design & implementation – how research can facilitate innovation . Research links universities to practice and wider human service sectors

. Research is crucial to place of social work in universities

La Trobe University 15 La Trobe University 16

Ageing & Aged Care

Thank you . Between 2007 and 2014 the average publications was consistent but low at 14.4 papers per year, with most (65.7%) only publishing once in this field. Contact . High interdisciplinary collaboration – most social work researchers published in a multidisciplinary team (89.8%) and in non social work journals (84.9%). [email protected] . High proportion (70%) of articles published in international journals. . Main research topics were health (24.1%) and elder abuse (15.7%). . A minority (24.1%) discussed social work specifically or included social workers as participants. . A smaller minority (14.8%) involved older people in ‘additional’ research activities (Hughes, Bigby & Tilbury, 2016)

latrobe.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00115M La Trobe University 18

3 5/11/2018

Key messages for ageing & aged care Child Protection field • 2007-2014 (7.5 year period) 255 papers with Australian SW authors, average . Interdisciplinarity is high and a clear strength of social work research 35 papers per annum in this field. • 68% of authors published only once during the period; 15 authors published 6 . But is social work research becoming co-opted by health focus? or more (around 1 per annum). . Need more research examining the diversity and complexity of social • Australian researchers are not parochial – 40% of publications were in work with older people and its outcomes. international journals (mostly child welfare journals rather than SW). . Need to increase involvement of older people in research • Most common topics were out of home care and child protection systems . Need to increase funding base and support early career (topics reflect most frequent authors). researchers. • 47% non-empirical, 33% qualitative, 10% quantitative, 10% mixed methods.

. How to build the profile of ‘gerontological social work’ in Australia? (Tilbury, Hughes, Bigby & Osmond, 2017)

La Trobe University 19 La Trobe University 20

Key messages for child protection field Disability

. Large number of researchers is a plus, but once-only publishers is concerning – need to develop SW research careers • 124 SW papers between 2007 to 2015, average 13.8 p.a. & growing . Sustained programs of research indicate depth and focus • 3 authors accounted for 63.0% with most authors only publishing once. . Research has international significance • Most articles were published by interdisciplinary journals and 79.0% were authored by a multidisciplinary team. . How to increase visibility of SW research base, given SW is a leading • Research tended to be descriptive - dominant topics were health and profession in the field wellbeing (n=34: 21.4%) community and civic participation (n=28: 22.6%). • Gender, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rural and remote issues and use of participatory methods are gaps.

(Bigby, Tilbury & Hughes, 2017)

La Trobe University 21 La Trobe University 22

Key messages for disability field

. Multidisciplinary teams is a plus . Social work disability research makes a distinctive contribution; it is contextualised in service systems or policy, has a focus on community and civic participation and social relationships . Make the social work connection explicit, in order to enhance SW research visibility and application in practice and education.

La Trobe University 23

4