A national and international reputation for policy and practitioner relevant social work research.

We are an internationally respected, leading academic department dedicated to excellence in research. We are particularly distinguished by our strong interdisciplinary environment with a reputation for policy and practitioner relevant empirical research. Our Centre for Research on Children and Families (CRCF), part of the global network of UNICEF Childwatch institutions, is at the forefront of research on vulnerable children, parenting and family change. We are a founding institution for Making Research Count – a national collaboration for social work research dissemination.

We have attracted funding from Governmental bodies, such as the Department for Education and the Office of the Children's Commissioner. Our research has received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.  We also have strong links with many charitable bodies, and have completed work funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the Big Lottery Fund, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, the NSPCC, BASPCAN, the Social Care Institute for Excellence, the British Academy and a wide range of UK local authorities.